The Final Step to the Master Reloaded
by MysticMew
Summary: With the Sinnoh League just around the corner, Ash and Dawn need to make important decisions how to pursue their dreams further. Little do they know much more will be in store for them. Primarily Ash/Dawn more revealed later . Rating M just to be sure...
1. Prologue: Diverging Paths

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: First Arc, Prologue

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Revision Note (2013)**

The first two arcs have been given a thorough revision. Revision sounds a little much though. Mostly what has been done is clean-up of potential typos, plot inconsistencies (if I find any) and taking to heart some of the helpful comments of reviews over the course of the story.

Just when I thought I'd give up, I stumbled upon a competent beta after all, unfortunately that wasn't in time since I had most of the revisions done already. But I will have him look over these as well in time and probably make another mass update once we are done until all episodes are properly beta'ed.

As of now I will use a slightly altered format as well. Instead of the {} for place indication I will simply bolden the entire line and the scene break as well. This has a dual reason really. First of all it gives one less thing to replace in the future when converting the files for ff . net. But it is also more convenient to handmaking html code out of this (and not the crap word spits out) and properly indent the text. Everything else will stay as you know it though.

Oh, and we will have an Opening sequence for the first arc. In accordance to the divided opinions about the inclusion of the Opening in every episode, I will make a compromise and include it only every other episode in reasonable intervals.

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**New Archive and Blog (Update Priority!)**

Furthermore. I will have started a blog by the time I am ready to really write and post again. The blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de) will be kept in tandem with a complete revision (and that is meant for real) my outdated archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net). The blog will be for a lot of things, honestly, but also a more consistent way of bringing about updates, plus hopefully freeing you of the constraints of ff . net's formatting rules (or restrictions).

Considering I kept saying that you should go to my site but no one apparently did so... well, I will enforce my policy of update priorities going to my new blog and site. The advantages are for both of us. For one it means, I can more easily, directly and for others to see answer questions, criticism or other points raised if you post a comment on my blog rather than a review. And I can present you with the best layout possible for the story. Aside from that, I will use this more frequently to put out additional information, status updates and perhaps even sneak previews of upcoming chapters. So if you really want to support the story and the speed with which I am going to move on to its conclusion, please give it a try and visit more frequently.

Especially since it's not going to stay as an update measure (that wouldn't quite warrant a blog after all). There will be news, articles/essays and such about the things that interest me from various categories (mostly though anime/manga, games, fanfiction).

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**Author's Notes**

Yes, I am alive. *Looks to a comatose Maia* Not so sure about my muse. Personally I am not sure if this just a short reemergence or something more. I'll try but I can't keep any promises. Lots of it will depend on my motivation which had been rather lacking in the last years, mostly due to university but also just a simple, personal lack thereof.

Enough about me though. Let's talk about this story. Some old readers, mostly my German/German-speaking readers from long, long, looooooong ago may recognize the title. And as you may guess, this one is based on a similar principle but with many different elements. To be fair, I personally still don't know where exactly I'll be going since I've got only a rough idea about the start so far. However, many of the elements the original TFSTTM had will be used, altered probably, in new situations most likely but you'll see some familiar aspects for sure.

Despite that it is still more or less a unique story. Ever since I first started TFSTTM in a time where Gold/Silver hadn't even reached Europe, a lot has changed in the Pokémon Universe. Especially so to the available cast and as such the possibilities for pairings. Back in the day there was rather little flexibility but there is now. You'll definitely not see the same pairings in this one. And to all those hoping, I'll say right away, this is definitely not an AAML. Once upon a time Ash/Misty was beyond doubt my favorite – probably for lack of any substantial alternative too –, this has long ceased to be. You'll already see in this Prologue which direction I'll be taking with this one and my current favorite. So without further ado, I leave you to read and hope you enjoy these first glimpses of this story.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

First Arc: Breaking the Limit

Prologue: Diverging Paths, Overlapping Paths. Journey Crossroads!

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**(Ash)**

Not much further now. The Lily of the Valley Island was only a short trip away. The excitement had been steadily growing stronger, reaching a cresting peak with the battle against Volkner. Suppressing it was not an easy yet a necessary task. Failing to do so meant I wouldn't be able to properly focus. And I needed to do that now or I feared the outcome of this League would not be much more than the last attempts.

Kanto had been a learning experience. The first journey. Looking back I felt kind of foolish for acting the way I did after my loss. Johto was a close call, so was Hoenn. Close calls, yes. Never further than the best eight either. Every time I thought I would do better. Sure, I did. Somewhat. But not enough. Never enough.

Gazing out over the ocean, I once again wondered what I should do. Normally I did not worry about these things, tried to always push forward, grow stronger. Not that I was despairing over the issue but in the last days ever since the conclusion of the battle with Volkner I couldn't shake of this nagging feeling, this need driving me onward to change things. I had hit a wall somewhere. Plain and simple. The realization had hurt and was hard to acknowledge. My progress was minimal at best. I knew I was good but for a long time now I had been unable to make the last step, overcome the last obstacle to fight toe to toe with the elites.

At least we were arriving early. The League would not start for another three months. A decent time to get some training in but too short for anything short of getting everyone in top shape. Normal training would not produce any greater breakthroughs short of perhaps learning a few new attacks. What I needed was something more... daring. Extreme one might say. Perhaps now was the right time to implant the special training regiment I had been working on for a long time. I had always shied away from the strain it might put on my Pokémon, especially after meeting Paul and seeing his methods but if I wanted to make that last step and if I wanted to do it now, I would need to.

"If that were to be the only thing," I mused to myself. Pikachu was playing with Piplup somewhere and I was glad for the moment of solitude. My best friend was getting far too stubborn in bugging me about the other issue that had an impact on my concentration. I know people think I am entirely naïve about the subject of love. Maybe in a lot of ways I still am, no one ever told me properly. Mom hadn't when I left home and I didn't really understand or found it important. There had been something between Misty and I but by the time I realized what it might actually be, it was already too late. I doubted we would have worked out to begin with, always at each other's throats as it were. There was no particular regret now that nothing had come off it.

Back then regret might have been a factor. Perhaps May and I could have gotten somewhere. We definitely had a few moments where I kept wondering but at this point some regret over Misty was still there, to some degree, and I never acted... Not that I would have really known how.

Now there was Dawn though. Something had just clicked from the very beginning. There was a connection that I had never felt so strongly with anyone else. Maybe it was because right from the beginning we were travelling as equals. Misty often had acted like the more experienced person even though there was only a year of difference between our ages and in the end I could say I had become the better Trainer. At first May had been following me around and even freely admitted in the end that she had copied a lot from me. Dawn had known her path from the beginning and our journey together had been more like equals. Her determination to pursue her goal had reminded me strongly of myself. I was impressed how she actually handled all the bumps in the road. I certainly hadn't had it that rough on my first time through Kanto – barring Charizard troubles – but she dealt with all the setbacks with an inner strength that was simply admirable.

And she was definitely more successful. Her loss at the Grand Festival was hardly anything to be ashamed about. The final outcome was so close it was probably in the decimals if actual points would have been counted. The "loss" made the otherwise less than flattering term of second winner actually worth something.

Seeing her fight like this might have been the deciding factor for me to admit, at least to myself, that I had strong feelings for her. With that came the knowledge that this journey through Sinnoh was all but over. And with that our journey together. Never before had the thought of separation from a travelling companion affected me so much. There was no guarantee we would stick together... unless I did something about it.

Pushing away from the rail, I nodded to myself. "No way around it." And with that I meant both of my prime concerns. Too often I had missed the opportunity before. The time for a change was now.

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**(Dawn)**

For how long I had stood there, observing Piplup and Pikachu play below on the deck, I can't say for sure. Ash's silent arrival had startled me out of my thoughts. My mind had been drifting, replaying all the important parts of my journey. So close. So close had I come to fulfill my dream just a short while ago. Rationally I knew how stupid it was to even think that making second place at the Grand Festival on your first try could be considered failure. However, coming so close and then to fall just a fingertip short of success was harsh.

And then there was the whole "daughter of a former Top Coordinator" issue... Perhaps that pressure had been mostly self-made. Not that it wasn't without basis. Mom was very popular at home and I hadn't made much of a secret out of it from a young age that I wanted to follow in her footsteps. They weren't outright and direct but the comments were there, as were the expectations. I used them willingly as fuel too, until I had actually set out and realized how stony and steep the road to the top really was. Was it a wonder that I was feeling somewhat inadequate for just coming short? I didn't show it and I was genuinely happy for Zoey. To be more precise, I was glad it was Zoey and not someone else I lost to. But it still hurt.

How pathetic. My feeling of inadequacy barely stood a chance against Ash's situation. And more than once now he had actually praised me for my progress. "You've already come so close, sometimes I feel a little envious," was what he said just the other day and made my heart ache in shame of my own thoughts. Ash had been a great inspiration. His unwavering will had often pulled me along when I was feeling down. Seeing and hearing him talk about his own doubts made a big impact. I could sympathize with his feelings but at the same time felt so tiny and insignificant. The kind of situation he was in I could not even comprehend. Trying to imagining myself in this situation a few years from now, I realized I couldn't. Deep down I knew, having come so close that the final push I had to make was already so much smaller than what he had to do over and over again.

"There is a small remote area just a little ways off from Valley Lily Island. We can get there with a different ferry and then go straight over to the League from there. I'd like to do some training away from everything. Just my Pokemon and me... A training partner wouldn't hurt though," he had said, giving me a smile that made my heart flutter. Of course I told him the obvious. It was his tournament and he had always taken time out of his schedule to train with me too. His response had surprised me a little, more so the emotions I could see reflecting in his eyes. "I have been working on some new training methods. There is no way to sugarcoat the truth. What I am planning is going to be rough. I've given all my Pokémon a choice whether or not to participate, so the same goes for you."

He had been so serious. Obviously this path scared him somewhat... no, not scared exactly. There was reluctance to take it, perhaps doubt if he could pull it off. That hadn't been the greatest surprise though yet. The greatest surprise definitely was when Ash gently placed his hand on mine and granted me a look I had sometimes fantasized about but never – or at least not in the immediate future – expected to see. "I've never felt so... connected to anyone before. I feel that if we do this together, I... no, WE will definitely get stronger."

There was so much more expressed than spoken. I was still shocked now as I stood silently with the older boy. Ash had taken a step I didn't expect him to. Crossed that invisible line that had kept the strong friendship, comradeship and yes, almost partnership from sliding into something more intense, something more... Just something more. I couldn't say what and I doubted even Ash did. The word "love" was left unspoken because frankly neither of us seemed ready to acknowledge that seriously.

Now though, now it would only be harder to decide what to do after the League. Kenny's words and quasi love declaration had thrown me for a bit. Not so much the latter. I liked Kenny as a friend mostly and couldn't really see it go anywhere else. But then again, I had also not expected for Ash to get a clue and push our friendship down a possible romantic path. He often acted so outrageously clueless about the subject that I wondered how much of it was an act. Looking at him now, feeling his hand still on top of my own, I realized that perhaps he really was far more aware than showing everyone else.

No, I couldn't say now what I would do after the League was over. But the likelihood of sacrificing some of my ambitions had just gone up a bit. I know Ash would never want me to but if there really was a chance of something more blossoming between us – and he had more or less shown me that without actually saying –, then I had to seriously consider giving it serious thought.

For now, I realized, I still had an answer to give. An answer that was far more simple than the rest of the choices ahead. "Count me in." The relieved and radiant smile warmed my heart. Yes, everything else would work itself out from now. Perhaps this training would not just benefit our Pokémon and training skills. Perhaps it would always provide the answers I have been looking for as well.

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**Ending Notes**

So much for the Prologue. Considering my long absence from writing anything serious that I actually considered of posting, I am definitely hungry for some feedback. Especially from readers who know my previous work and whether or not I managed to keep some of the quality.

There is really not much to say yet about this part. I placed it at this point in the anime as the most opportune for a divergence. The tournament honestly didn't have me very satisfied. I think what irked me most was the stupid Legendary Pokémon Trainer. Treatment of Legendary Pokémon has always been rather... controversial but that Trainer was really pushing it. It was pure and unnecessary overkill. They obviously just couldn't think up another good challenge for Ash after he kicked out Paul. Considering that Ash even took down two Legendaries but the remaining finalist didn't even get past Darkrai... You can draw your own conclusions, I'm sure.

Ages. I haven't really specified but I'm taking some liberties. The eternal same age complex of the anime is definitely getting on my nerves as is the starting age. Maybe back in the old days you could pretend that Ash and Misty were around 10/11 but Ash still looks mostly the same. And he's been through 4 leagues, the Orange Isles and the Battle Zone. If you consider at least the leagues worth a year-long journey each (intervals between tournaments) and the Orange League + Kanto Battle Zone roughly amounting the same put together, Ash should be around 15 at the end of Sinnoh, perhaps even more. Definitely doesn't look like it. And Dawn, May before that as well, don't exactly make the impression of regular ten year olds. I'd put them at 12/13 at the very least and that's roughly the age range I'm going to work with. I might have thought this through a little better next chapter.

This story is going to be a serious one. Not the same – pardon, if I offend anyone personally – crap that you can find in most Pokémon stories around. There is a definite lack of good, serious and original epics that involve the original crew. Same goes for Ash/Dawn stories. Those who knew the original will know I can get pretty dark at times and while that may be some ways off, you won't find the same kiddy approach of the show but something more mature. As such I'll need to make the characters like that too while not trying to go too OOC. Every oddity will be somehow explained and if I end up not doing so at some point in the story, you are free to tell me.

I really hope I can get back to more serious writing, even if only at a slow pace. My work situation doesn't look all too good at the moment. I'm finished with university but still looking for a job. I got some unpaid practical training at the local newspaper online section in June and July, so time for writing will depend on whether or not I can make time for it. Considering that both video games and local TV have little entertaining to offer for quite some time now, there is more hope for me sitting down in the evening and writing something... perhaps. Depends on whether or not I can rouse Maia from the dead once in awhile.

Feedback will help, always. As you might know I appreciate constructive one, be it praise or criticism but even short comments may help to motivate me.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	2. 0101: Training, training and more

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: First Arc, First Episode

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**(Narrator)**

With dread I faced the microphone. I was really doing this against my better judgment. Last time I was hired by these maniacs I got constantly bashed and abused… But the salary was just too tempting. Damn…

"Ash and company have decided to take a detour just before reaching the Lily of the Valley Island where the Sinnoh League Tournament is about to be held. Three months remain and Ash has proposed to run his Pokémon through a tough training regimen and Dawn agreed to be his training partner. What does this training include and will the effort really be worth it?" The screen was zooming in on a lone area somewhere along the coast in the Sinnoh region. Dense vegetation, various water sources and even a small mountain range could be seen in wide abundance. "We shall see."

Sitting back I glanced around cautiously and waited several minutes before letting go of a sigh I had been holding in. Of course, that could just mean that they were waiting for me to get comfortable.

[As the narrator leaves the recording studio, Maia pops up, grins, then can be seen rubbing her hands before vanishing again.]

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**(Brock)**

An hour left before sunset. Time to start dinner soon.

With a sigh I finished my preparations by laying out the final herbs and berries that would most likely find their use. The one good thing was that their use was getting less and less with the amount of time passing and progress to be made. Injuries and especially fatigue got less and less as the first training month neared its end.

The small cabin was just perfect for our needs. Few people came to this area, actually Ash had gotten the tip from a fellow Trainer he had been battling, or so he claimed. The cabin was for rent, rather cheap as well. There was a small Pokémon Center around the corner too, an ideal arrangement since Ash wasn't kidding when he had said the training would be really taxing.

So far for the entire first month, it had been mainly endurance training. This included stamina as well as building up natural resistances and other defensive qualities. Ash, Dawn and their Pokémon would go out early every morning on a long run through the mountain region, come back for a big lunch, and go right back to various forms of other training that was meant to increase their standing qualities.

When Ash had first shown me his training regiment I was kind of skeptical. However, his Pokémon had all given their personal agreement and as long nothing was done against their personal will and dedication, I couldn't easily say no after all. Besides, I often felt tempted to participate myself, especially after seeing the results I had seen so far. Grueling but effective. Not just for the Pokémon either. My friends were going right along with them, sharing all the pains and aches of their partner's, as well the benefits. One could get somewhat envious...

_However_, I mused while starting the oven, _if I went as well, we'd all be too exhausted for anyone to cook._ That and someone had to make sure to treat the Pokémon and make sure they stayed in shape. That alone was a full time job and even with periodic resting trips to Nurse Joy the bulk of the work fell to me. Not that I was complaining. I found this arrangement an ideal test for my breeder skills and this had gotten to me to think whether or not a medical career might be a path worth to explore.

For now though, I had to be ready when everyone got back from training. They would certainly be very hungry, they always were. The exercises that Ash was putting everyone through were – as much as I knew from his outlines – scraping just on the personal limits of every Pokémon, not enough to overdo it but enough to push these limits that little bit higher every time. On first glance these methods sounded either like something a martial artist would do for training or someone like Paul. But Ash wasn't Paul. I knew even without his reassurance that he would never push his Pokémon too far. He had always considered them friends, to degrees that most others, sometimes even myself included, found astonishing and inspiring. Ash was unlike other Trainers in his empathy with Pokémon. And they in turn were inspired by that, following his ideas without hesitation. Just like now. One thing was sure. The competitors at the Sinnoh League would have to go past him to gain the title.

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**Opening Theme (Dream Wing, Mai-Otome 1st Opening)**

On the backdrop of the Sinnoh region map, Ash appears on the left, then Dawn on the right, then quickly between them Brock, Pikachu and Piplup. The logo appears behind them.

_Mitsuketa no dream_

_dokidoki ga tomaranai_

Ash sits on a boulder, his badge case in his lap. He is deep in thought, then looks up and we see a stadium, the view quickly zooming up to the fire ignited on top.

_MEISTER DREAM_

The scene flawlessly continues into a shot of the Grand Festival trophy, then quickly fades out to show a stage...

_umaretano takaramono_

_mune ippai ni kirameki hajimeru_

Before finding Dawn, sitting in a field of flowers. She has been looking up similar as Ash, but now looks down and places a hand over her heart, a soft smile on her face.

_doushite konna ni fuan ni naru no kana_

_kakae kirenai omoi_

_namida koboreru kedo..._

The screen splits showing Ash and Dawn running towards the image of the stadium/stage separately. They each reach out with their left/right hand but can't reach it. They become aware of each other then and this time both reach out with the other hand, clasping them together before jumping forward. The scene flashes white.

_kitto itsuka tadori tsukeru yo_

_tsumadzui tatte akiramenai_

Ash is in the middle of an arena, face serious, pointing forward. Pikachu jumps forward sparks flying. Quick shift through Ash's Sinnoh team fighting. Gabite fires off a Draco Meteor. From the burst emerges Buizel zipping by in an Aqua Jet, followed by Staraptor crossing paths in a diving attack. Torterra drops into the screen and lets loose with a hailstorm of leaves, out of which Infernape comes blazing and bathed in fire. He is joined by Pikachu running along with Volt Tackle.

_yuuki dashite mae ni susumou_

Dawn is in the stands, cheering them on along with Piplup. Brock is next to her a little reserved but also cheering. Ash is meanwhile faced with a mysterious cloaked figure. A Pokémon – it cannot be seen which – is sending out a blast of black energy.

_chiisana ippo fumi daseba_

_hora ne, atarashii watashi_

Pikachu burst forth, wrapped in a cloak of lightning. Ash looks on grim, a little helpless. A transparent image of Dawn appears behind him and gives him a huge. Ash balls his fist and takes a step forward. Pikachu bursts out of the black beam. The screen shifts one last time, Pikachu streaking in between Ash and Dawn standing arm in arm. Ash has a confident grin on his face and Dawn is smiling happily.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

First Arc: Breaking the Limit

Episode 1: Training, training and more training! Ambitions striving high!

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**(Ash)**

There was one more important reason why I didn't want to do this training alone. I was sure that had I done so I would have stopped less than halfway through. Watching Pokémon getting hurt was something I had never been able to stand. Even in battle. That was why I didn't like styles that focused on endurance and the Pokémon taking hits, even if they did so willingly. While Dawn had always said that she was amazed by my level of empathy – and normally I would agree with her –, it was also a crutch, preventing me from pushing further. I certainly knew that nothing in life – neither for humans or Pokémon – was earned without some sweat and pain. I would push my Pokémon, yet never beyond their limits.

And that is what all this was about, I thought while watching the gathering of our twelve primary Pokémon go about their individual tasks. Four pairs were working on similar tasks since they were essential the same thing. Pikachu and Pachirisu at the moment were working with Buizel and Piplup by feeding them steady amounts of electricity... while they were in the water. At the beginning it had been on land and only in small amounts. The intensity had increased every day a little more until they could endure an average Thunderbolt without trouble. That was when the whole practice started over in the water. This training further complimented the two Electric types training by having to keep up their electricity for long periods of time while they had already gone through their Ground-type attack resistance training courtesy of the recently evolved Gabite's Sand Tomb.

The others were all involved in similar training which would be switched for different needs periodically. Infernape and Quilava were swimming upstream against the current, Staraptor and Togekiss were shooting aerial attacks at Torterra, Buneary and Mamoswine were working on Gabite's fatal ice weakness. That was just one of many setups and I had to admit everyone was coming along fantastically. The time allocated for endurance training was almost up and the results were showing. At this point I really didn't have to worry much about any of them getting hurt too much by regular attacks, even if they were type weaknesses.

Startled out of my thoughts by the hand on my shoulder, I looked up at my training partner. I really couldn't have done it without Dawn. Having someone with you to go through the grueling regimen and especially see your Pokémon do so, was vital for me. More than once she had pushed me when I thought I couldn't pull through and see my friends suffer. "They all agreed on this training. And they are all working so hard already. Stopping now would also hurt their pride and the determination to become stronger." That or similar things she would say to encourage me to go further and it would be enough.

The training so far had also done her some good. I could definitely appreciate that she had gained a lot of muscle, a slight tan and all in all looked extremely fit. Not that she had become some sort of muscular bodybuilder but the exercise had certainly produced likeable results. I really can't describe it well since I have never really paid that much attention to outward appearance. It had never been much of a necessity.

With Dawn it was different and I found myself struggling to deal with this just as much as the other aspects of our growing... whatever kind of relationship we were having. We had settled into a nice, comforting routine and had become increasingly more... emotional one might say. More than once we found ourselves taking a break, leaning against one another without really acknowledging that circumstance or feeling awkward by it. More than once there was a touch that lingered longer than necessary, a hand offered for help holding on a little longer. Small things that all pointed to something potentially more but that the exhausting routines hadn't given us time for yet.

"It's almost sunset, we should head back soon," Dawn spoke at last although for a moment I thought she would say something else.

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**(Dawn)**

I had always thought myself to be well enough in shape for a girl my age. Before starting my journey I used to do quite long tours with my bicycle and all the walking we had done from one end of Sinnoh to the other was bound to keep you healthy. All in all I never felt the need to do much more since my focus was rather on my appearance for contests.

This... This was different. At times I caught myself thinking that Ash was crazy putting us through all these exercises along with our Pokémon. Together was the keyword though which I only needed to think about to understand why we were running around carrying increasingly heavier things along with our partners from day to day. In doing so we were showing that we were willing to go to the same lengths of physical straining torment that they were. That reminder would be enough to push me onward no matter how much I would want to collapse right on the spot.

As strange as it was, you were bound to get used to it. Even if almost every second or third day some more weight would be added, the body grew to adept much faster to any new extra weight and strain than in the beginning. That was even more true for our Pokémon, their bodies naturally more durable and made to endure more strain than any normal human could. The results were fairly amazing, I had to admit. Believing Ash's plans to be feasible and with good chances of success and actually seeing the results were two entirely different things and I couldn't wait to see the effects in actual battle.

That had to wait though. For now Ash had ordered a rare two day break – normally it would only be one per week – before starting the next phase of the training. Something I now looked forward to in a much different way. After all the endurance drills, speed training didn't sound so bad. Turning my head to the side, I couldn't help but smile. Ash had dozed off lying in the grass, hat drawn slightly over his face. After this first month it was almost uncanny to see him rest so peacefully. Often enough he had seemed to be the most enthusiastic about training, sometimes doing some rather ridiculous things compared to the rest of us. He was truly living by example and his heart was always right into whatever he was doing at the moment.

_Heart..._ Well, almost always. Then again, we were both still awkward about the budding relationship. I had no trouble admitting that it was clearly heading there even though neither of us had quite attempted the final step. And I wouldn't push either. Right now his... our focus was on this training and to be fair I was quite content with the way things were progressing. There was an ease that hadn't been there before. No, that wasn't right. It had been there, from the very beginning. We had fit together right away, even if it took a bit of time and one successful team battle to realize it. Now though this ease with which our friendship had started had reached a new level. Not quite romantic yet but I wasn't so uncertain anymore about the future.

Rolling on my side I rested my head on his broad shoulder – the training had definitely done him good!

No. I knew one thing for sure already. I wanted to stay with him. The how would resolve itself later. There wasn't even any doubt about this. I just knew it would and if it didn't for some reason, then I would make it so. I wanted to see where this was going and not look back later regretting that I had allowed this chance for happiness to slip through my grasp. In the short time we had been travelling together, Ash had become too important to permit such regret.

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**(Ash)**

With a critical eye, I watched as Torterra raced up the cliff side. One might say about a Pokémon its size that it lumbered up... or to be more polite, climbed up. One month of endurance training only he and Mammoswine could take effectively due to their similar size and natural built gave a whole new meaning to the term "racing".

That was something I had happily noticed right on the first day. While the runs had mostly been for endurance buildup, that in consequence led to naturally increasing the limits of the participants. With more stamina you could push yourself harder, you had more muscle mass to use effectively. The first time we had lined everyone up for a quick test to ascertain how fast each participant had become without any obstruction weighing them down, was nothing short of astonishing. More than it did before, I understood why the first part was supposed to be the most crucial and why it came before speed training.

This even held true for those Pokémon naturally slow. When Turtwig first evolved, the loss of speed had been a problem for me. That it took Paul and his Torterra to teach me what it meant to fight with a tank did hurt. And while I learned to work with it, the truth was that this kind of passive fighting was not my style. It did not sit well with me to see a Pokémon take hit after hit, regardless of whether or not it was built and meant to take damage and only then counter effectively. Speed and evasion had always been my forte with almost every Pokémon I caught, trained and battled with. I couldn't do that with Torterra though. Too heavy to move fast, too large a target to even think about nimbly evading attacks. That had been a harsh lesson for me and required a lot of trust. I understood this much better now after the first month.

"Good job!" I called up to Torterra atop the cliff, before looking down at the Poketch I had purchased before the training. The time was much better than I thought possible once again. All the training in the world would not negate the fact that, through its sheer size alone, Torterra would never be a speed-type Pokémon but there would be quite a few surprises waiting for every opponent that thought of him as an automatic stationary target. The Rock Climb right now was executed with a quickness that would leave little time to react before Torterra would reach the opposing Pokémon.

"Stay up there, we'll do some target practice!" Satisfied with the result, I waved Pikachu over. From out of everyone in my team I knew my oldest buddy was and would probably stay the fastest and most nimble. That was, of course, essentially necessary. Due to his small size, Pikachu was the exact opposite of Torterra. It could never take huge amount of hits and stay standing. Willpower – which Pikachu had in spades – got you only so far after all.

"Ready?" Pikachu gave a nod and I quickly stepped back. While we still participated in some activities, the training became more and more tailored to individual skills of our Pokémon. Getting in the middle of what was soon to follow would be ill-advisable for a human. "You can start, Torterra!"

Almost immediately a shower of razor-sharp leaves came hurling down from the cliff, covering the area in a relentless and merciless sea of green that seemed sure enough to crush anything in its radius. However, Pikachu wasn't there anymore. Weaving between the variation of this vicious Leaf Storm – more like a Hurricane –, Pikachu had become little more than flashes of light. Before my best friend had been fast. Now, it was almost the equivalent of a sonic boom. A few of my Pokémon could probably match the raw speed enough to keep up but the truly amazing aspect that set them apart was Pikachu's ability to control and shift his movement without slowing down, changing directions at a split moment's notice and so abruptly you would think it impossible.

This was the second part of this month's training. Evasion – and to some extent target practice for those providing the attacks. Certainly Pikachu wouldn't need that much but who said one should be satisfied with one astonishing feat? Calling over Infernape I grinned slightly. "You know what to do."

Thus a cascade of tiny but fast fireballs joined the hurricane of leaves and Pikachu had to actually push his limits now.

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**(Dawn)**

Ash and my ideas of speed training were a little different and it had been the point where we had actually argued the details until deciding on splitting up for parts of it. Not that I argued the importance of speed. Considering most of my Pokémon except Mammoswine were not exactly powerhouses, I could see where speed would be the one aspect where they could truly excel over others. Ash was rather passionate about the issue which I could understand from watching him battle for so long now. Speed and evasion were the basis for most of his strategies... and his philosophy. Once again I found myself marveling at the determination and level of empathy that drove him. He really hated to see his Pokémon hurt, even in the heat of battle.

The point where our opinions – or more like our needs – differed was an aesthetic one. For battles the how didn't really matter much as long as the results were sufficient. You were either faster or not, you either evaded the attack or not. Unlike a Trainer, a Coordinator had to always consider a different aspect: Grace. Presentation was everything. While high speed and good evasion could win battles, the deciding factor when faced with a situation where it could not was how an action was performed.

For this way of training I had to sacrifice some of the raw dedication to pure evasion. When you had to simultaneously train how to evade and how to evade in a way to make it look good, the process naturally took longer. For some more than for others, I noted while watching Buneary literally dance through Piplup's bubbles. Considering the density with which my first Pokémon could make them that was no small feat and Buneary did it with an elegance that was close if not a perfect match for Togekiss in the air. Those two already had a perfect foundation. With them I could actually focus on increased levels of difficulty since they seemed to almost have elegance bred into them that came as second nature without the need to actually focus on it. Piplup had to work hard for it but seemed to have almost internalized it as much as those two by now while Quilava who was naturally more of a fighter needed some work and Pachirisu tended to overdo things sometimes.

"Alright, Pachirisu, add some random Sparks now." If Buneary was bothered by the increased difficulty she never showed it, weaving gracefully through the bubbles, performing a pirouette to avoid being shocked, twirling right into and between the mass of bubbles in order to use them for effect, glowing a bright white, her body expanding... Wha?

Buneary was evolving! "Lopunny!" she exclaimed joyfully.

I blinked shocked for some moments, really not having expected this one. Buneary was primarily my presentation Pokémon and while she had fought her fair share of battles, I didn't think her ready for evolution yet. Realizing that Piplup and Pachirisu hadn't stopped their attacks, I was about to order a halt to training, no doubt needing to adjust to Lopunny's new form, but then hesitated. With growing astonishment I saw her flawlessly continue her dance, with a clear boost of speed and precision even, that more than made up for the larger target she now presented. The sight quickly drove away all concerns of what this evolution would mean for the training process. Lopunny continued her routine with a dedication and self-discipline that warmed my heart and the moment I called an end to the exercises I had her enveloped in a tight embrace, telling her how proud I was, followed quickly by the congratulations of her fellow Pokémon.

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**(Brock)**

The first surprise of the day was having someone actually knock on the door to the cabin. The only one except for the three of us who had come up here a few times was Nurse Joy, and that was only in the first month when exhaustion was still high as a result of everyone getting used to the harsh training. The workload drastically decreased after that and more time passed before a regular checkup became necessary. Actual injuries were almost nonexistent for the final stretch of the first and the entirety of the second month. As such, there would be little need for a visit from Nurse Joy.

Still curious, I went to open the door and got my second surprise. For one thing, Nurse Joy was indeed there. But she was only at the rear of a larger group that I had clearly not expected to see. There was Professor Oak, Ash's AND Dawn's mothers, as well as Gary and Tracey whom I hadn't seen in quite awhile.

"Ah... welcome?" I said lamely after a few moments of silence elapsed. Ash had actually spoken to the professor just before the start of the training and the elderly man had voiced his disappointment that he wouldn't be able to make it to the tournament, complaining about too much workload. Subsequently Miss Ketchum who usually would tag along on such occasions would probably not be coming either. To see both here in addition to the rest came rather unexpected.

"Sorry for the sudden and unexpected intrusion but we were all kind of curious after I heard of Ash's training plans. So I managed to make some room and treat this as an expedition to Sinnoh with everyone." That would explain why Tracey had tagged along as well. I wasn't sure if Gary had still been in the region before this "expedition" though.

Nodding, I sent a questioning glance at Dawn's mother. "I only heard about it by chance. I was actually just on my way back home when I ran into Gary here who was going to meet up with the rest. After I heard that Dawn is participating in this as well, I did get curious, of course." And probably a little concerned about the strain those two were putting themselves through as well. But neither Delia nor Johanna said so and probably wouldn't, knowing the determination of their children.

"Ah, please come in," I offered, realizing that we were still all outside. "I'm afraid though, we don't have this much space for so many people..."

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That didn't turn out to be necessary. The group coming here was a visit, nothing more. They just wanted to see this special training for themselves, otherwise willing to wait for the results at the tournament. I had to smile at hearing that. They would see some results right away. After all we were well into the third month already. The grueling conditioning was pretty much over. If that still happened it was a direct result of the competitive battle phase. Right now the days were filled with a string of battles in various location and terrains of which the area really had a lot to offer. Plain ground, grass, forests, rocky terrain, water. It was really an ideal spot for training and I was amazed that not more Trainers were here... or more people at all. Ash wouldn't elaborate from whom he got the tip exactly and considering that I doubted he came up with the training plan by himself either, I wouldn't be surprised if the same source might be behind it. I couldn't for the life of me imagine whom though.

Not all of the day's activities were battle training though. This was primarily the cumulative and creative phase. Now all the effort flowed together to be used in battle but also to create new strategies and even moves. I had already been privy to a great amount of new inventive attacks that were bound to floor the audience at the tournament. Personally, I think Ash had been getting more and more interested in the creative ways offered by Contests. Many of his new inventions were based on a similar concept of attack infusion, combinations or similar elements which he had modified to be used effectively even by one Pokémon alone.

Fortunately for our visitors we didn't have to walk far since my friends were close by today. Just behind the cottage actually was a small clearing with ideal terrain without much obtrusion. This had become more or less the default training area as it offered a vast amount of space to move in which was a big plus for high-speed battles like the one we were walking in on now.

"Holy...!" Tracey exclaimed finally after nearly a minute of watching in silent wonder. I could imagine the surprise. When I had first seen the direct results of the grueling conditioning I had been the same. At no point had I doubted this would benefit all participants but the sheer magnitude was nothing short of miraculous.

At the moment it was Infernape and Dawn's recently evolved Lopunny facing off against one another. Short of Pikachu and Piplup those two had probably made the most progress and would be one of the few to actually keep up with Ash's first in terms of speed. As much as one could even see enough to compare adequately. It was more like watching a cheap action anime with overpowered characters. The two Pokémon were blurring across the battle field, dishing out a series of fast and damaging moves. A combination of too fast to follow series of flaming punches and kicks from Infernape which Lopunny dodged just barely somehow, yet still managing to look as if it was performing a ball dance. An ice beam would spread out in a wide arc only for the fiery ape to already have fled into the air coming down with a devastating chop which to the repeated astonished gasps of the onlookers, Lopunny actually blocked, getting shoved back and forced into performing a flip and spin before coming to rest a few meters back, slightly worse for wear than her opponent, waiting at the opposite end in a rare moment of standstill.

What I personally found even more stunning was that their Trainers had been fully aware of the situation the entire time, calling out attacks and other commands in quick succession, matching the speed of their Pokémon as best as possible. Not because they had trouble following the action themselves but more so because sometimes the movements were just too fast to call out an order in time. Their focus was fully on the battle. It had to be. With this level of speed one lack of concentration could mean losing and both were too proud to give even an inch, challenging each other and their Pokémon to even greater feats every time. So absolute was their focus that I doubted they would even notice our visitors until the match was over, even if they happened to look in our direction.

"They are really putting all they have into this," I answered before anyone could voice their disbelief. "I was surprised myself the first time I saw them battle like this. It's a result of all the effort they have made though."

Ash was pressing the attack now and while Dawn could keep up for a minute or two more, a strafing Flare Blitz out of the sky that looked more like a small meteor finally did Lopunny in, however, she still managed to give her opponent a nasty frostbite to the side in a desperate attempt to stop the final attack.

"To think this training method really brought out so much potential. Tell me Brock, did some of the Pokémon actually do IT?" Professor Oak spoke after some time. Ash and Dawn still hadn't noticed us, busy to attend to their Pokémon.

Catching on quickly just what the professor was referring to, I merely gave him a short nod. I was glad that he was careful enough about the subject since it would make for a real shocker later on and was saved from further explanation to the rest by the fact that Ash and Dawn had finally realized they were not alone anymore.

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**(Dawn)**

Our parents and Professor Oak's party had come and gone. The surprise had been a nice one and motivated Ash and me even more. Now the time for the League was almost there.

"It's almost time. You think you are ready?" I asked, handing him a glass of water and sitting down beside him. The tournament would start in roughly two weeks which left only a few more days to prepare. Time had flown by like nothing at all. A little surprise considering the first days of grueling exercise had seemed to drag on forever. You got used to everything, I suppose the saying was true after all.

Ash didn't answer immediately, instead opting to sip silently from his water. Doing the same I enjoyed the quiet of this place, the feel of nature and the still breathtaking sunset to be viewed from up here. That was one thing I hoped I would never get used to or it would lose its charm. Over the last months Ash and I had often been sitting here outside in the evening, before turning in for the night. Talking about unimportant things, relaxing from the stress of the day... getting more comfortable with each other. We were still on an unspoken basis but I was not very concerned with that. Things would fall into place. Very soon, I was assured.

Finally Ash decided to break the silence, still gazing out towards the setting sun. "Well... I suppose I'll be prepared as I ever can be. I... We both made a lot of progress and I feel more confident than ever before." Rightfully so. In my opinion he had every right to do so. I considered my own progress to be high. With what I and my Pokémon had learned in these three months I could say with no arrogance at all that we would have clearly won the Grand Festival. Despite all that I was far away from Ash's raw battle skills. In our training matches I rarely won a bout. Keeping up, yes. But his Pokémon were more suited for direct combat, his tactics were more suited for battle. There was no doubt that it would take a highly-skilled challenger to defeat him now.

And then there it was. That confident grin and the sparkle in his eyes when he turned to look at me. "What am I saying? Of course I'm going to win! After all the effort we've gone through, how can we not?" I had grown to love that confidence, that unwavering will. Ash had been very focused, concentrated on the training in these months. This cheerful and energetic side hadn't come out often and I was glad to see it emerge once again.

I favored him with a smile of my own. "Right. Nothing to worry about." At this familiar phrase we both fell into a bout of a sudden giggles. I couldn't help myself. He made me feel so relaxed and brought out the best in me. I never could feel down for long when he was around but felt depressed if he was feeling down himself. I really didn't want this to end anytime soon. Perhaps it was time. This felt just about right to talk...

Startled, I looked down on his hand upon mine. Not that this was the first time it happened. We often found ourselves holding hands lately. Those moments were more an instinctive and unconscious move. This time his action seemed to be made in full knowledge and with purpose. I couldn't help but blush at his sudden intense gaze. "Regardless of what happens," he began. "I want you to know that I couldn't have done it alone... No, I couldn't have done it without you. The time we spent together has been unlike anything I've ever had before and I..." What was he saying? Was he going where I thought he was? His hands were shaking! I could feel my heart beat increase slightly. "Whatever happens in the tournament, I decided that I'll be taking a little break from going to new regions every year." Now that got me a little confused but I could see he was nervous, so I held back my curiosity of where this was going. "What I am trying to say is: We can go anywhere you like after this. Back to Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, I don't mind. You can call the shots this time and I can use the time to train all my other Pokémon as well. With you there, I feel like I can do all these things I couldn't before. I... I really like you a lot Dawn."

The speech kind of floored me. First of all I had just about been ready to offer something like this myself. It might not have been the most romantic confession I had been secretly hoping for at the beginning but I knew it was a heartfelt and genuine offer. One Ash didn't make lightly. For most of his time travelling he had been the one in charge, it was his journey ultimately. To step back and travel with someone else and not the other way round had to be a big step and the trust that went into this was more than enough for me at the moment.

Realizing he was still waiting for a reply, I smiled warmly at him, before giving a slight chuckle. "Stupid, as if you had to ask. You know I would love to keep travelling together." Feeling emboldened and moved by the atmosphere, I leant forward and acted before I could shy away again, giving him a small peck on the cheek. Grinning at his stunned and flushed expression, I jumped up and turned to head back inside, feeling immensely proud and a little smug about myself.

Life was definitely looking good right now.

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**(Ash)**

For a long moment I found myself startled at the realization of just how light my backpack was. There shouldn't really be a surprise after all the training along with my Pokémon. Even in the last month, Dawn and I had kept up some exercises since we couldn't very well battle with our friends. Still, returning from the everyday "drills" to normal activity already began to drive the point home just how much this small training trip had changed us.

That was just the beginning though. Once the tournament was over I had decided to make some more room to build on what we had learned in these last roughly three months. There were my other Pokémon back in Pallet to consider and not all of my current lineup was at their top strength yet either. So far the two with the most progress had been Pikachu and Infernape. Pikachu already had the most experience to build upon while Infernape had also collected a lot with Paul already while showing an unshakable drive to better himself. He was a fighter through and through and together with Pikachu my greatest asset for the tournament. Paul wouldn't recognize his old Pokémon, I had to chuckle at the thought.

Once more checking that the belt with my Pokéballs was sitting correctly, I nodded to myself. "Now or never," I declared to myself, feeling a surge of unbreakable confidence flow through my body the moment I stepped outside where the others and especially Dawn were waiting. That one evening had been a big step forward. It hadn't really gotten further than that, although a lot of the blame for that was that I had thrown myself into some new strategies which tended to occupy my thoughts well into the night. The closeness had become more defined though, no longer an unconscious comfort, we were both seeking it out now.

"Ready?" Dawn asked with a smile and I nodded back with one of my own. We would have all the time in the world to explore this further once the League was over. I got the impression that Dawn knew that too and for that reason wasn't pressing any further to prevent any kind of distraction before the tournament. She'd definitely proven to be bold enough if she wanted. Not that I considered her presence to be a distraction... Well, okay, I suppose it could be, especially if I allowed my thoughts to wander too much. This was all new territory for me. At the moment I was more than content with the stage of our "relationship". To know she was there and would still be after the tournament was comforting and serving to fuel my own confidence in a way that wasn't distracting or getting over the top as it sometimes tended to. With Dawn there I just knew I could make it. There was a certainty now that I had never had before any other tournament.

"Pika!" Pikachu jumped up to his place on my shoulder and I grinned at him. Once again I had the sense to fully realize that I barely felt him up there as if he was weighing nothing more than a feather. It had never bothered me before but the difference was something I couldn't help but notice.

"You ready too, partner?" Pikachu gave an enthusiastic exclamation, cheeks sparking with a surge of electricity, prove of the special training we had been working on over the entire duration of the training. My opponents would soon realize that speed wasn't the only thing they had to watch out for when fighting a Pikachu even if I hoped I wouldn't really need to use THAT. The results had been a little more devastating than I had expected and probably too destructive for a normal battle. We still hadn't ironed out the control for that move and until we had the risk was simply too high. The risk for the opposing Pokémon that was.

"We should get moving," Brock reminded us that we needed to get this ferry to be on time with enough to spare to settle in properly. He had been a great help and Dawn, me and our Pokémon all appreciated and thanked him for it. Without his dedication to keep up the supply and treatment we wouldn't have been able to pull through with such a rigorous program that demanded everyone's full attention and readiness.

As one all of us took a moment to give the beautiful scenery one more appreciative glance, cementing it into memory, then we turned as one to start on the path towards the coast and back to the outside world. Towards our goals.

"Alright," I declared, "Sinnoh League here we come!"

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**Author's Notes**

This flowed faster than I thought. Almost like back in the day. Not quite as big a chapter yet but that will change once more characters join in and become important. I know myself too well to believe it would be any different. That is if I ever get that far. :) I see this story a little like a trial run and perhaps a jump start to get back into writing. I definitely still have a lot more ideas and from all my old unfinished stories some are still on my agenda to be finished. At the very least Soul Lights. I put too much effort into building up the continuum to miss out on finishing the main arc. As such I cannot say how much time will really go into this in the long run.

Now for this chapter. I have purposefully avoided showing too much of the training itself. I gave glimpses at methods and results but I wanted to retain some surprises for the tournament. Don't worry about Ash getting too strong too soon. He'll have at least a couple decent challenges along the way. I dislike super-overpowered main character stories myself. Far too many of them are floating around in the Naruto corner which I've been frequenting that last year or so. I swear authors – and to an extend readers – have either very little tolerance for decent growth development anymore or pushing it to ridiculous spheres where challenges end up on a DBZ level.

It's just the start of this story and for now Ash is merely getting some of the due he should have for all the hard work but that he never will in the Anime because they feel they couldn't continue with the standard routine over and over again for every new region. Ash will be strong in this story, he will most likely dominate the early rounds but he won't be unbeatable. What I am doing is preparing him for the elite because compared to them he has just began to scratch on the surface.

And continuing my age rant from the prologue... First of all note I take this from the German dub and lately, especially with those series that are especially dubbed for Free TV, I'd rather doubt every word twice over. If the translation was correct though, the narrator at the beginning of the Unova arc actually stated that Ash was STILL 10 years old?! Excuse me? I want something of that age freezing formula! Four leagues, the Orange Isles and the Battle Frontier and Ash hasn't aged a SINGLE year? Now that is just absolutely stupid.

Ahem. Point is I stick with the more or less outlined age range from before, otherwise one could hardly write a story with romantic involvement halfway realistically. Personally I really don't see what the deal is with letting the characters finally grow up some. A more serious anime might actually do some good, at least the Sinnoh arc was showing some real improvement with rather large sections devoted to developing the Team Galactic angle and staying surprisingly close to the games.

Final point. I know I kind of treated the evolution of Gible more on the side. I couldn't really find a way to build it in more effectively. Lopunny was entirely unplanned and I think I was as surprised as the characters. The idea literally just flowed into writing the scene and I hadn't even planned for this to happen when starting it.

Feedback is as always appreciated, wanted and hungrily devoured. Until next time, hopefully.

Matthias aka MysticMew


	3. 0102: The Sinnoh League Begins!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: First Arc, Second Episode

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Lily of the Valley Island (Dawn)**

The stadium was literally bursting with excitement. I had to admit, this was nothing compared to the Grand Festival. The Sinnoh League Tournament was a grand spectacle, not only in the main stadium but spread throughout several smaller ones to effectively manage the sheer number of participants. The schedule was nothing to laugh at either. With 256 participants in total, there would be 3 qualifying rounds with the pairings based entirely at random. With some bad luck the best participants could end up against each other in the first battle. After that, the remaining 32 would be split in 8 groups with 4 Trainers each and only the best 2 would advance to the next round and the finals which would be then held in the main stadium exclusively. The qualifying and group rounds were all in quick succession, leaving Trainers to battle twice per day actually with 3 on 3 battles each.

I wasn't worried though. And neither seemed Ash standing below in the big stadium, being welcomed with the rest of the Trainers as part of the opening ceremony. There had been a rising excitement ever since we got on the ship from our training retreat towards here but now it seemed he was as calm and focused as he had been during the long hours of constant training. Neither Ash nor his Pokémon would be hampered by the packed schedule, not after all the nonstop training we had gone through.

My gaze swept over the rest of the competitors. Nando, Barry and Paul were all there and now I had spotted Convey as well. A confrontation was possible, perhaps actually rather likely. Each of them had quite a bit to offer and would doubtlessly make it through the opening rounds unless they ended up against each other. I focused my attention back on the podium where Pokémon League President Charles Goodshow was just finishing his speech. I was surprised to hear that Ash was actually on good terms with the man, going back to his first participation in the Kanto competition where he had rescued and actually ended up lighting the Lavados Flame. Behind him was Sinnoh League and current Master League Champion Cynthia whom we had run into on several occasions throughout our journey. I know that Ash admired her a great deal and couldn't help but agree. Nothing she did or said seemed without purpose and she always carried herself with a calm that seemed unshakable even in the most dangerous situations.

Behind her was an unfamiliar face. A young brown-haired girl that couldn't be much older than Ash. I doubted she was a participant though since she should be with the rest of the Trainers down on the field. Since she hadn't been introduced, I could only guess. However, even though it shouldn't really matter, my gaze kept wandering, some unexplainable feeling pulling my attention back to her. She wore a green blouse with her arms left bare and a white skirt, green socks and white shoes with a green stripe. A white hat with a green outline resembling the top half of a Pokéball sat loosely on her head.

"... with this I declare this year's Sinnoh League Tournament to start!" the booming voice of Mr. Goodshow snapped me out of my focus and back to the overall action below. Fireworks were going off and the fire atop the stadium's highest point was lit.

The Sinnoh League Tournament had officially begun.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

First Arc: Breaking the Limit

Episode 2: The Sinnoh League Begins!

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**(Narrator)**

"... the hell is that damn microphone not working..!"

With dread I realized that in fact the equipment that had refused to do as I wanted miraculously started working right at this moment... and recording as well.

"Um, we are going to cut that out, yes?" There was no response and I hung my head, letting out a long moan. It seemed my torment had once again begun. However, I refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing me despair! I was a professional after all!

Clearing my throat, I began once again, ignoring the embarrassing episode just now. "The Sinnoh League is finally here. Ash has finished his special training and all are now eagerly awaiting the results. Will the grueling three months pay off and finally allow our hero to make that decisive step closer to his dream? What challenges will await him in this tournament? We will see soon enough."

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**(Delia)**

I believe every parent would understand my initial concern when I heard from Professor Oak about the training my son was putting himself through. The old man had been trying to downplay it but my mother instincts had made me probe deeper until I got the full story out of him. The trip down to Sinnoh was mostly on my initiative as well and took quite a bit of convincing. The good professor was simply too gullible though and I eventually got my wish.

Prepared to face what I would find in a mature manner and with the knowledge that Ash was a grown teenager by now – with all the years travelling more than ready to make his own decisions –, I only needed to see him that day in his practice battle with Dawn to know that my concerns were meaningless. Not silly or useless but I could see right away how much effort he was putting into this. I didn't need Brock's words or the others' greater understanding of Pokémon to see it. By the time I arrived, I could see that my little boy had really matured quite a bit through this training and whatever I might have to say wouldn't make a difference.

Matured in a lot more ways than one, I noted, stealing side glances at my son who was walking alongside Dawn. Closely. I wasn't sure if they were aware that they were holding hands in public or just too comfortable to care. My instincts would tell me the latter or perhaps I would just prefer it. A soft smile stole its way to my face. Unlike Misty and May, I had met Dawn for the first time in the cabin and took an instant liking to the girl. She just seemed to fit together with Ash naturally. Determined, with her goals firmly set and a sweet and kind soul. There could be worse choices for Ash to make when it came to a girlfriend.

The small group had made their way up to one of the lesser crowded areas of the stadium, generally reserved for V. . Ash had casually stated that the President wanted to have a small talk with him. He really did have a knack for making friends, especially of important people. I heard the group had run into the Champion, Cynthia, on their journey through Sinnoh as well.

Finally we arrived in a larger hall where the aging president and current Champion were waiting for us... along with the girl I had seen from up in the ranks. That had been bothering me for a while. I knew there was something familiar about her but couldn't quite place my finger on it.

Hanging back as greetings were exchanged, I noticed Ash's eyes lit up in heartfelt recognition the moment he confronted the stranger. "Leaf! I didn't know you were here. I was surprised to see you up on stage." That was enough to jump start my memory and I couldn't help but smile for those two as they hugged. I hadn't seen or heard of the girl ever since she left Pallet and that had been a hard thing to deal with for Ash back then.

A low sound drew my attention back to Dawn and I had to stop myself from giggling at the look she was shooting the pair. Oh yes, she definitely had it bad for my son if she was getting jealous like that. Of course, Ash being who he was probably had no idea of the consequences of such an open display of affection towards another girl.

Placing a hand on the girl's shoulder who looked up at me startled, I gave her a reassuring smile. "You've got nothing to worry about. They are just good old friends." The blush I got in response was just too adorable.

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**(Dawn)**

Despite what Ash's mother had said, I couldn't help the flare of intense... dislike for the other girl. I wanted to chastise myself for this foolish reaction but it was no good. The public and easy display of affection got me worked up. It was stupid, it was irrational. I knew Ash and knew that he wouldn't hurt me like that. Mrs. Ketchum had to be right and my reaction was definitely not exactly speaking of the trust that I had always valued so much between Ash and myself.

Knowing and feeling were two different things though. I suppose that's what came with being in a relationship, the heart wasn't easy to rationalize with. What I was starting to form with Ash was something big, I could feel it. And I did not want to lose that before it had even really begun. And if this scene went on any longer, I...

Thankfully Brock saved me an embarrassing moment that could have really ended up hurting our progress, by clearing his throat loudly. "Would you mind introducing us, Ash? I think some people here are a little... confused." As if just now realizing that they were still hugging, both teens pulled apart with some embarrassment, more so from Ash than from the girl. I was unsure what to think of that but forced myself to push down the strong feelings before I would end up making a scene.

Ash chuckled nervously in his typical manner, hand behind his head. If he noticed my surely heated looks, he didn't comment on it, then again being who he was, Ash was probably woefully oblivious to the situation. "Sorry, guys. This is Leaf. She moved to Pallet when I was about eight and set out on her own journey a year before me. You could say we hit it off pretty well in the one year between that and I was just so surprised to see her here of all places after all this time." Yeah, right. For a one year friendship they were very friendly with each other... Once again I immediately had to grind down on the thought. That was quite a hypocritical thought considering Ash and I had roughly the same time together.

"Well, Ashy, I wanted to see how your special training turned out. I trust you made some progress at least?" Leaf replied grinning. My thoughts probably were the same as anyone's here. There was no room to speculate that she wasn't referring to our three month training session. How did she know about this? I wasn't aware that Ash had told anyone other than Professor Oak about our side trip, especially since he wanted to stop the news from reaching some of his rivals, like Paul.

"Excuse me? But how do you know about that?" I found myself asking before I could hold back, a lot more sharply than intended to. Ash looked at me funny, a hint of concern in his eyes. I cringed a little, feeling foolish once again. Foolish at my lack of patience to find out the whole story.

Leaf merely raised an eyebrow and gave me a speculative look before suddenly grinning mysteriously. "I should. The basis for Ashy's training plan was after all my own invention. Did you think he came up with all of this just by himself? The variation for a shorter time period was mostly his, I admit, but the basic principle came from me."

I honestly didn't expect that. Perhaps I shouldn't have been that surprised. Ash had said that he had gotten the information for the area where we had held our three month training session from a fellow Trainer but never said who and for all his strategic intelligence when it came to battle, I had had my doubts that Ash had come up with all the exercises by himself.

Before I could ask any further question though, Leaf suddenly stepped in front of me still grinning as if knowing some great secret and returning my glare with wry amusement. "You really have no need to worry about me, Dawn. Ash and I are a lot more like siblings. I care for him but not that way." I still eyed her suspiciously but somehow I could tell there was nothing but honesty in her voice. "Besides, if I didn't know Ashy liked you a lot, you would rather have to worry about yourself." Now I was confused, until the other girl continued with a wink, "I saw you at the Festival and thought you were pretty hot."

It took a moment to settle in, all right. Then the words and their meaning penetrated my layer of suspicion and made me flush in embarrassment. I couldn't believe Leaf just said that so casually, to a girl she hadn't ever met before! It wasn't like I had a problem with her liking girls, far from it. Better than her liking boys and Ash in particular, but her forwardness was a little unsettling.

Ash chuckled into the uncomfortable silence. "You haven't changed at all, have you?" Leaf just pouted which I had to admit looked somewhat cute. "I told you no hitting on my girlfriend." And there I was blushing again. It just took that one word to blow all my doubts away. And he had said it out loud in front of everyone! Risking a glance at him, I realized he was as surprised by it as I was. However, even if it was a spur of the moment slip, the meaning was what counted.

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**(Ash)**

To be fair, I really hadn't planned to say it like that. In fact, all the joking aside, I had been shocked at the brief flare of possessiveness that had been there at that moment. That had been entirely unreasonable. I knew Leaf and while she had already been quite the flirt when we were kids – much more mature than most kids and definitely myself –, I knew not to fear anything from her.

I guess it's true. Love can make you do and think stupid things, I thought wryly as I stepped outside on the balcony. Dawn was leaning on the railing and gazing up at the night sky. It was a bright night with many stars out. The weather was actually picture perfect for a tournament like this. For a moment I stopped to immerse myself in Dawn's beautiful profile under the dim light of the night's stars and moon. Some months ago I might have not even noticed, but now that I had allowed myself to acknowledge these feelings, I was definitely getting more used to this romantic stuff.

"You should get some sleep. You've got one of the first matches tomorrow," Dawn said without looking at me. That caused me to chuckle quietly. Over the three months we had developed a knack for sensing when the other was close even without seeing or hearing.

Casually I stepped up next to her and mirrored her position. "Quite an eventful day, huh? And we haven't even started." I don't even know why I was surprised to see Leaf here. I should have almost expected it. That girl was altogether too persistent and curious when something spiked her interest. And she had more than once stated on the phone that she was "interested in seeing how your variations turn out". No, I really shouldn't have been surprised.

Dawn didn't give a reply, instead opting for a comfortable silence. She had taken Leaf's attitude in stride once she had been over the initial shock. Realizing that she had been jealous at first was a bit of a surprise but perhaps I really should learn to think before acting not just during a Pokémon battle. I suppose I should actually be glad about Leaf's flirting – more like teasing. It took the edge right out of a possible conflict that I really did not want.

"I'm just glad that Leaf isn't competing," I said aloud with a dry chuckle. Leaf had really been like a sister to me, I had assured Dawn later. Back in Pallet there wasn't actually that much to do. Many of the other kids had either been teasing me a lot or got on my nerves, like Gary back then. I never really minded and only realized how few REAL friends I had until Leaf came. We hit it off right away and I actually painfully noticed the gap when she left. We kept in contact until I set out myself. With both of us journeying, contact became sporadic. In that aspect we were very much alike. Leaf couldn't stay in any one place for long either. Not even after she had won her first Championship in Johto about the time I was just hitting my first major defeat back in the Kanto tournament.

"She's quite young to be a Champion already," Dawn said at last. "I was surprised." She turned her head slightly and I did the same. "You never said anything." There was no accusation, just curiosity, which I could understand. No one had known, not even Brock. And to be frank I couldn't come up with a good reason why I had never brought it up. Perhaps I didn't want to end up being compared to my predecessor's achievements. Only two years into her journey, Leaf had become one of the youngest Champions any official League tournament had ever seen. Instead of taking the master title though and competing with the other Champions, she had declined and continued travelling as an unofficial Pokémon Master. When I heard that shortly after my loss in Kanto, I had been... irked to say it nicely. I hadn't been able to understand and it caused a bit of a rift between us for awhile. I did understand her reasons much better now.

I shrugged slightly, not wanting to get too deep into that discussion right now. "It never came up." As lame as a reply as it was, Dawn didn't press the issue. A yawn threatened to escape my mouth. "Perhaps you are right, I really should get some sleep."

Dawn's hand slipped over mine and I stayed silent, enjoying the contact. "Good luck for tomorrow." Right now I thought that her smile and support was all the luck I ever needed. Just seeing that, I felt more ready to face this tournament when I ever had before.

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**(Pikachu)**

"And now ladies and gentlemen, get ready for our fourth qualifying match of the first round here in the grass arena!"

The crowd cheered but I turned it out, concentrating on the task ahead. This wasn't my first time in front of a big crowd after all. The others might have some trouble with it but I could ignore the noise easily. That was also why I would be starting today. Ash's strategy for the tournament was depending a lot on the element of surprise. Or more like keeping as many surprises as long as possible. For that purpose Infernape and I would take the bulk of the qualifying rounds, with a changing third that would only be sent in if really necessary. I doubted there would be more than a handful of Trainers that could force Ash to show more of our training results than absolutely necessary.

Catching the end of the announcer's introduction of Ash and his opponent, a young nondescript teenager, I jumped forward to the field. The terrain was optimal. Plain ground would be perfect but after having trained so much on a grassy field, I had nothing to complain. I was almost a little disappointed when the opponent sent out a Roserade. A Grass-type on a grass field, how original. Had Ash started with Infernape this would be over even more quickly. Perhaps this sounded a bit overconfident, yet I felt that I had every right to be.

"Roserade, Petal Dance!"

Ash did not need to even give a command. Our synchrony had reached a new level and we understood each other almost without words. Rushing off in a run, the attack had not even reached my previous position before I was behind the poor, unaware Roserade. Its Trainer called out a warning but I decided to be merciful and struck her with a Thunderbolt that slammed the elegant Grass-type across the field where it stopped without giving any indication of getting up any time soon.

The previously loud and excited crowd was the total opposite now. A quiet hush had descended over the smaller side stadium where the qualifying rounds were held. Glancing over to Ash I got a satisfied nod as a sign that I had done good. Ash wasn't one to flaunt power, far from it. The problem was: We just were this good now. At the same time my best friend did not want to leave anything to chance, which included playing his hand too soon. After our training he could be assured a strategy like this could actually be pulled off. If there was someone in the tournament who could match up with us, we would hopefully not end up revealing too much. I know he was also thinking about Paul in that regard who had shown that he was very proficient in taking an opponent's strategies apart and utterly destroying them if given enough information.

"R-Roserade is unable to battle," the referee finally snapped out of his own shock. "Pikachu is the winner!"

With this Trainer the intimidation factor had definitely worked. Baffled and uncertain he recalled his Roserade and stood for almost half a minute more indecisive. Then came the anger at being humiliated like this. Anger though was never a good partner, especially when uncontrolled and facing an opponent who had the whole situation under control. While I loved Ash as he was, I could not help but marvel at how calm and collected he was now. Fully focused on the battle, yet still I could see the fire in his eyes. Tightly controlled, ready to be let out when necessary.

"Go, Hippowdon!"

As I said. Predictable. Well, the already shocked crowd would be in for another surprise today.

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**(Leaf)**

The V.I.P. box was definitely providing a great view on the action below. Some would say now it made no difference if you couldn't see what happened in the first place. However, I KNEW what happened and smiled in satisfaction. He had really matured. The old Ash would have been jumping around gleefully now, instead he was waiting calmly for his opponent to react to the humiliating defeat that might go down as one of the fastest victories in an official League tournament. I doubted even a handful of the audience began to realize what had happened and its significance.

"What the hell? What did that guy do with his Pikachu? That's unnatural! And is it even allowed to let the Pokémon react by themselves?" I glared at the man sitting on the other side of Cynthia. He was the son of a renowned executive committee member or so I had heard and so far he had been nothing short of annoying. Boasting around with his clearly lacking knowledge as if he was a total Pokémon expert.

"There is no rule that states a Trainer must direct their Pokémon," Cynthia replied calmly, her eyes never leaving the field. "It is merely beneficial in most cases. When Pokémon battle on their own they act according to their own instincts and level of intelligence. With a Trainer directing them, their movements become more coordinated, strategized and purposeful. A Trainer can make the Pokémon perform better by standing outside the battle and deciding on the best course of action."

The guy frowned, clearly disbelieving and I took a deep breath to calm myself before picking up where the reigning Champion left off. "The more experienced the Pokémon becomes and the more synchronized with its Trainer, giving out commands won't be necessary anymore. At least not all the time. They will simply know what their Trainer wants them to do unless he or she decides on a different tactic. The less commands a Pokémon needs, the more this speaks of great experience and trust."

The opponent had sent out a Ground-type now and I refocused my attention, dismissing the annoying man. He wasn't out of commentary though. "Ha. That won't help much against a clear type advantage now." I scoffed, not even trying to comment. With the kind of speed Ash's Pikachu had displayed in a manner suggesting it wasn't even trying, even pure physical attacks could be devastating despite the size difference. The Hippowdon would be entirely too slow to react and still feel the impact. Now, there was just the question of how Ash was going to pull this off.

It seemed he wanted to drag this out a little, letting Pikachu dodge the clumsy sand attacks of his opponent. Having guessed the idea behind his tactic already, he could very well allow himself this since Hippowdon was too slow to force Pikachu into showing anything special.

"Pikachu, finish it. Thunderbolt," Ash spoke calmly. The crowd was still watching with rapt attention, quieter from the shock of the first match when it had been at any of the others so far. Thus I could clearly hear the comment and so did everyone else. My eyes widened. Could he already...?

"Heh, heh, now that is kind of stupid. An Electric attack won't..." The words were stuck in the man's throat when the electric bolt struck the Ground-type. From the charge I could already see its potency and knew with a swell of pride that my assumption had been correct. And Hippowdon had no way to deal with the results. Ground-types were by nature immune to electricity as long as they remained on the ground. Immersing them in water or launching them in the air were common methods to get around this immunity but they weren't as reliable as this. Because they were so used to just discharge the electricity into the earth, most Ground-types were highly sensitive if electricity actually hit them. The poor Hippowdon cried out in pain as the electricity coursed through its body, unable to channel it into the earth. Not long after that it collapsed, shuddering from the aftereffects.

Ignoring the man's exclamations, I looked over at Cynthia who was also as surprised as I was. The Champion glanced back with wonder, a silent exchange passing between us. He really had pulled it off and after just one intense training drill. Amazing.

"... it seems the referee also thinks this can't be legal." The executive's son's comment finally snapped me back to reality. I looked back to the field, a clearly agitated Trainer and a reluctant referee. As annoying as the comments were, I could understand the confusion. What Ash had just done was something normally reserved for Elites and not very wildly known. I think I had been the first since Cynthia that had participated with one or more Pokémon that had broken their natural growth limit.

Much to the shock of our obnoxious guest, both Cynthia and Mr. Goodshow signaled their consent that no rules had been broken. That would serve to only further the talk about this fight.

"Show 'em a little but keep the big surprises, huh?" I muttered to myself with a chuckle. This tournament was bound to get interesting.

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**(Brock)**

Breaking the natural limit of a Pokémon. Such a feat was reserved for the most Elite Trainers. Not even most gym leaders knew about this little secret and I had not either until my brief time with Professor Ivy. Years ago, long before Ash started his journey it was still custom to classify Pokémon by something called an experience level. This system, however, had begun to become unpopular due to extensive irregularities in determining the precise level of a Pokémon which often enough led to problems with level restrictions in tournaments and other such things. A Pokémon's level was mostly a rough estimate, designed to show the experience and growth. For many high-ranking and influential Trainers this system eventually proved too inflexible and the practice was aborted.

In fact, level estimation was all but aborted and forbidden. This was meant to guarantee more surprise in encounters on one hand and on the other hand should force the Trainers to not let static numerical values fool them, so that instead they would learn to understand and support their Pokémon's growth by themselves.

There had been some good about the old system though. While not always accurate per say, estimations about when a Pokémon would evolve was mostly reliable. The maximum level of 100 was reserved for those Pokémon that had reached their natural limit. The point where it was believed no further growth was possible. With this aspect the static and inflexible nature of the system truly failed though and frankly humans should have understood this without needing to be shown an example.

The limit of growth for Pokémon was potentially as infinite as those of humans. When someone was speaking of natural limit it meant the point that growth was getting increasingly harder and unlikely. Not impossible. Several Elite Trainers had proven that fact by going beyond the supposedly finite level 100. This was by no means a small feat and I did not know what exactly went into it. Suffice to say, merely experience and training alone wouldn't cut it. To break the natural limit and advance further a Pokémon had to overcome this hurdle both physically and mentally. I had tried asking Ash but he had just smiled mysteriously and said that he had promised not to divulge the details to anyone... Of course, I had a strong suspicion that Dawn knew.

The benefits of breaking past the natural limit came with more than just a great jump in individual stats and the ability to grow further. First and foremost – explaining what had just happened on the field – was that any and all resistances and immunities to a Pokémon's attacks would be moved up a level. However, only for those of the Pokémon's innate element. That meant a Fire-type could do normal damage instead of reduced to a Water-type with a Fire attack. Pikachu on the other hand could pass the natural immunity of Ground-types and inflict damage roughly equivalent to that of a reduced attack. Of course, the opponent unused to this and with a clearly high "level" disadvantage would still be hit disastrously.

Another major advantage of this stage was that the Pokémon was no longer hampered by the move restrictions. It had long since been proven wrong that Pokémon were only able to remember up to four moves, this set limit was more easily breached even for many normal Pokémon, depending mostly on intelligence level. Limit Break, however, allowed excess to all moves that had been previously learned and new ones could be learned indefinitely as far as I knew. That was a huge advantage in itself since the flexibility in battle was greatly increased like this.

"Amazing, I didn't think I would actually see it live and with two people from Pallet in such short order," Professor Oak commented, thankfully avoiding naming the concept itself. Ash didn't want anyone hearing about it if at all possible. It was obvious now where he had learned of it in the first place.

"You mean Leaf, Professor?" Dawn asked the question nonetheless. Her bout of jealousy seemed to have passed quickly and now it seemed she was actually more curious than hostile towards Ash's childhood friend.

Professor Oak nodded sagely. "Yes, she made quite an impact with it. I was watching Ash that time so I missed it unfortunately. Even among Elites not many can do it but Leaf is a true prodigy in training methods and bringing out the highest potential in Pokémon. Ash seems to share that trait but he needed a little longer to bring it out." The older man looked over to Dawn. "I wonder, since you went through the same training, have some of your Pokémon achieved IT too?"

Dawn shook her head, a little miffed but not too much disappointed. "No, I could not hope to. Ash's Pokémon have far greater battle experience. I am aiming for it, of course, but it'll be awhile yet until I can fully catch up."

Down below the match had come to an unceremonious end, Pikachu taking pity on the last Pokémon, a clearly mismatched Mantine, that at this point didn't need more than a spark to bring down.

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**(Dawn)**

In hindsight it had been rather funny and kind of thrilling for me to witness. Especially after my less than stellar reaction to Leaf in the beginning, it was satisfying and definitely reassuring to see that Ash could get jealous as well.

We had been watching one of the other qualification rounds when it happened. Ash had already finished his matches and aside from him only Barry, Paul and one other Trainer had earned themselves a flawless statistic with no Pokémon lost in either of their matches. And from those only Ash and this unknown Trainer had a near identical battle time average. Suffice to say, it worried and excited Ash. Here was someone who could possible match him and he was curious about it. I could understand that. So far his victories had been even more effortless than we had expected after our training. Only now we could see just how much progress we had actually made compared to the rest of the Trainers. Above all else Ash wouldn't want an easy win. He wanted a challenge along the road.

We didn't end up seeing much. The mystery Trainer remained pretty much that. A mystery. That started with his or her appearance. One couldn't really tell with a long dark purple-almost black cloak covering the body, complete with hood and all, a voice that could really be either gender and an apparent pseudonym by the name of "Phantom". How utterly cliché. Much like Ash, this mystery Trainer did not show much. The only Pokémon we got to see was a Mismagius that didn't even get one scratch as it plowed through the opponent's team.

That was when Conway had shown up out of the blue, scaring us half to death. To be fair, I had almost forgotten about him being here too, and now I knew why again. Not that he was a bad person or anything but his attitude was simply annoying and definitely obtrusive. The nerve! Trying to ask me out in exchange for information about the mystery Trainer! As if he knew much more than us. I honestly doubted that with the ease this Phantom dispatched his or her opponent that day, much else had been shown in previous matches. The database surely hadn't shown anything the like.

I had merely dismissed the whole thing with a forced polite refusal. Ash didn't. He had grabbed my hand with a slight growl and while I was still startled at this show of emotion in front of so many other people, he had already declared hotly that I was already taken! How cute! I think my heart must have made a big leap and I admit not quite hearing the rest of the exchange in my momentary bliss. I could imagine though how it went, considering those two already knew they were in the same group...

Ash definitely was wiping the floor with him. Infernape had made short work of Conway's first two Pokémon. I frowned at the confident, creepy smirk on the spectacled boy's face but wasn't that worried. Whatever he had in store for last, Conway had so far proved he'd probably need a Legendary Pokémon to pull off a victory. Lickilicky and Shuckle had proven no match for Infernape. The former had went down with one flaming punch and the latter only lasted a bit longer with its higher defenses but ultimately had to yield when Infernape had simply snatched up the shell, jumped in the air and threw it down, straight through a rock. Conway's Pokémon definitely weren't cut out for speed battles and Ash could have ended these battles in many different ways.

In some way it was kind of overwhelming. Perhaps even scary. I really hadn't thought the difference to the ordinary Trainers would be THAT great already. There was no point in doubting that perhaps Barry and definitely Paul would prove challenging but that was about it. Challenging. I didn't see how they could possible win unless they had somehow done some secret training that rivaled ours as well. Only that mysterious Phantom person proved an unknown factor so far. Much like some were probably thinking of Ash, it could turn out that he/she was just having one or two very strong Pokémon and would fold once forced beyond that. My gut feeling was telling me differently though.

"Looks like Conway did have an ace left," Brock commented next to me and I frowned when I saw the air flicker briefly around Ash's Infernape and Conway's Dusknoir. It took me a moment to realize just what happened but extensive attack study had been one part of our theoretical and tactical training sessions. Before the tournament, Conway might have gotten through with this but not anymore.

"It won't work," I conveyed my thoughts out loud, leaving no room to speculate whether it was an opinion or a stated fact.

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**(Ash)**

For a moment I stood frowning as the Trick Room area appeared around the field. Most of my initial resentment had passed and merely turned to annoyance once I had realized I wasn't acting much better than Dawn had with Leaf initially. Granted, with Leaf it was quickly resolved that there was no need to worry. With Conway you just couldn't be sure if he could take a hint or not. His attitude was seriously creeping me out.

Aside from that I could acknowledge that he had a certain tactical talent. From what little information I had given him and everyone else with my previous matches, a tactic like that was one of the better counters to come up with it. Had I not decided on the extra training I might have been in actual trouble now. However, even without the massive growth in experience, there were quite a few ways to take a Trick Room apart.

"There are a few flaws in your strategy," I explained, trying to keep some of the smugness I still felt out of my voice. "Infernape, wait it out and counter," I ordered calmly, catching Conway's brief frown. Had he expected me to just rush in? The old me might have done so but the other boy certainly must have realized I wasn't fighting quite that recklessly anymore. "Number one: Counters rely on going last to be most effective." The problem with a counter strategy would normally be that Infernape would have to rely on fighting moves up close for counters and Dusknoir was a Ghost-type. The Limit Break eliminated this disadvantage but it still wasn't the only way to win.

Conway was hesitating now, clearly uncertain how to proceed but eventually ordered a Shadow Punch, obviously hoping he could hit hard enough to prevent a counter. That was where the core weakness of this strategy came into play. "Weakness number two," I continued even as Dusknoir sailed past Infernape in an uncontrolled lunge, earning a fast flaming kick in passing that sent it into the ground even harder. "Trick Room works by making the slower Pokémon just a tad bit faster than the opponent's top speed. We have trained hard to get to this point and controlling your movements at this kind of speed was part of that training."

I kind of felt sorry for Conway now. Gritting his teeth he tried his best not to become frustrated and I had to give it to him that his Dusknoir was getting better and better at controlling the kind of speed Infernape was used to. However, even as some glancing hits landed, it was by far not enough. "Weakness number three: Dusknoir may be faster now but speed is the only thing affected here. It does nothing to Infernape's defense and stamina. Infernape can hold out a lot longer than the Trick Room is active."

Which was about now. With a flicker, the strange field disappeared. I could have capitalized on it right away but there was one more thing I wanted to point out and so I waited until Conway had Trick Room set up once more. "And lastly, even without all that, you should never place pure tactics over the willpower of a Pokémon. Infernape, Brick Break!" As if waiting for the cue – which it had –, Infernape shot up unhindered, Conway too stunned to react. Fist cocked back, the fiery ape let out a passionate cry and broke right through the psychic manifestation. I had wanted to test this theory as soon as I had discussed it with Dawn once but none of our Pokémon could create Trick Room. Technically the space was much like a protective barrier. Similarly created by psychic power, it was just as vulnerable. It didn't shatter though. No, what happened was almost exactly as I had expected. Infernape had left the field's effect radius by breaking a hole into it and an attack started now and phased through this opening would almost certainly not be affected.

Especially with this attack variation. "Finish it, Meteor Drop!" The attack sounded more flashy than it was. Basically little more than an enhanced Flare Blitz with a good boost of Agility, giving the attack an extreme speed boost as Infernape dropped from the sky in what really looked liked a flaming meteor. Whether or not Trick Room actually effected it, there was simply no time to react and no place to flee as Dusknoir was enveloped by the explosion generated by the impact.

Dust was wiped up all around the impact zone. However, we both knew how it went. The Trick Room was gone already and soon enough Infernape could be seen no worse for wear and letting out a victory cry over his downed opponent.

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**Author's Notes**

Aaaand cut. This took a bit longer even though I didn't even get to do all that I actually wanted. Writing is like riding a bicycle, once you can do it right, you can't forget how. All it took was some motivation and I think I'm already starting to really get back into the routine.

First of all. Thank you, minna, for the great first response so far. An especially great thanks goes out to Twilight – The Moon Spirit for being very inquisitive. Yes, I like that in readers, every author who takes him-/herself serious should. Constructive feedback even if its critique is the most highest honor. Now Twilight pointed out a few interesting aspects which I'd like to address here as well, among other things.

The first big question had been about the rest of Ash's Pokémon. At the end of the last chapter I did explain Ash's plan to take some time off regardless of the outcome of the League. In that time he will train his other Pokémon as well. Keep in mind, this tournament is just the opening act, this will be followed by a period of Ash and Dawn travelling (not sure yet where) and developing the story further towards the main events... whichever they may be. As I said, I have a rough idea what will happen past this tournament but nothing entirely concrete yet. I might actually do some brainstorming soon...

One of the big problems I had with the anime's version of the Sinnoh League was the inconstancy. Wasn't it Ash's resolve to catch, train and battle only with Pikachu and the Pokémon he caught in Sinnoh and then they do a complete turnaround and in comes the rest of the merry party with a bunch of new attacks as well that aren't explained/shown how they learned them. Thus, my decision to stick with the Sinnoh team for this tournament. Aside from that, they were the ones going through the training and training more than six Pokémon in this manner in such a short time with the proper results is almost impossible at this point.

Second question. The Pikachu and Buneary angle. I already expressed my gratitude to Twilight for reminding me, because I had indeed forgotten. I am as of yet still uncertain and will leave the issue to be resolved at a later date. With the tournament there will be little time for distractions but the phase after that may provide some closure on this topic. Frankly, I don't think I can be hold responsible for forgetting since the anime seems to have forgotten too! Honestly it was a cute idea at the beginning, popped up here and there again I think but later on I can't even recall anything being mentioned again. Now that I think about it, it would have made more sense for Buneary to flip instead of Piplup in the last episode of the Sinnoh arc, or perhaps show a tear up between feelings for Pikachu and going for the model thing... That didn't come up at all, so I have to wonder just how serious the crush really was. I'll think of something to tie up that loose end though...

Another review that just came in as I am typing up these closing lines, I have to address as well. Wow, already being mentioned on another site without actually promoting. In regards to that: Lily Flower, the German version is still up, yes, it isn't and honestly won't be finished anymore though. Too much time has passed since then and now to make an attempt workable. Also... "the German version" could suggest the wrong impression. The only thing this fic has to do with the old one are some general concepts from which you haven't seen much at all yet. For every intent and purpose this is a completely different story for now only bearing the original's name. Anyone interested can go and read if they want, provided they can read German. I think it was one of my better earlier works, progressing more steadily in quality with the chapters. The first two of three arcs are complete, so it provides at least a certain closure where I left off.

Now, finally addressing this chapter. Leaf. *giggle* Nope, won't say anything. All secrets. You'll have to see where I am going with this one. Only this much, don't interpret too much into her from game experiences. She is mostly a template that I'll develop in my own character... (not that the game characters are given much "personality", ahem)

Oh, as for Leaf's preferences. Older readers of my story will probably be less surprised. As for newer readers. I have a healthy appreciation for writing shoujo ai/yuri/femmeslash. More so than traditional het. Be prepared to find quite a bit in here too. If you can't stomach that better leave now.

I changed the tournament system. I told you to ignore all you knew from after the episode where the group set off with the ship. I already said for plenty aspects that I wasn't satisfied how the Sinnoh League was done at all. Frankly I found it too small to begin with. I had expected more competitors, more spectacle, like the other Leagues before that.

I seriously hope I am not showing Ash as too overpowered. Right now his training is benefiting him greatly, greater than he ever thought. But there will be challenges along the road in the final rounds. I am actually not quite certain what to do about the final. No, it won't be Paul, that much I can say. That would be too cliché and too much fanon to repeat. He'll get his fight but not in the final. At the moment I am debating two possibilities... which I won't tell you, of course. ^_^

I have pretty much channeled my idea for the leveling system and the Limit Break through Brock (sorry, pal, I wanted to have Leaf explain it but that scene was getting too long already) and I don't really have anything to add. One thing I always try to do is come up with logical explanations to certain issues, like discrepancies between anime/manga or in this case anime and game. I don't like it when a fic just shoves the game system on the anime and expects the reader to swallow the idea without some plausible information. The difference between games and anime is that the latter allows a far greater flexibility. All the numbers in the game are static (aside from influencing values). This just doesn't work in the anime that provides a more real time surrounding for the Pokémon. Just like with battles where Pokémon avoid and do crazy stunts that you could never do in a game due to its static, turn-based and RPG-like structure, I can't see them stoically categorized in levels and stats in the anime.

One last thing on a personal note and then I am done for now, this note was long enough already. I might need a new beta. Ayrki's work schedule is kind of crazy at the moment and she can't do it anymore for me. If anyone feels up to it, please send me a mail or IM. Native speakers or otherwise specifically qualified would be a requirement, extensive anime knowledge (but at least Pokémon knowledge) would be a definite bonus so I am not only getting spellcheck/grammar feedback. It's not absolutely necessary though. I am fairly confident in my written English by now and most of what I need is someone to look over it, catch typos I didn't and perhaps the one or other grammar suggestion.

Until next time, yours

Matthias


	4. 0103: Road to the Final!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: First Arc, Third Episode

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**(Dawn)**

"... a spectacular event so far. We have seen many exciting matches. The most outstanding, however, were the performances of two Trainers whom each had a flawless streak of victories throughout their matches. Little is known about the mysterious trainer called Phantom. A late entry into the tournament, background checks have so far come up empty. On the other hand, young trainer Ash Ketchum is fairly known in expert circles after having competed in Kanto, Johto and Hoenn so far with high results, as well as winning the coveted Orange League title and mastering the Kanto Battle Frontier. No small feats indeed but his overwhelming victories this year have even most experts floored and grasping for explanation. Throughout all the qualification and tournament matches so far all he has shown us is the high speed of his Pikachu and Infernape, winning his matches with these two alone. We are all asking us, now that the final rounds are beginning, will we see how good this competitor really is when faced with a serious opponent. We shall see tomorrow when Ash faces of with Barry, another young Trainer showing great promise in this tournament!"

I clicked off the television with a sigh. As should be expected after the initial matches, Ash was taking the League in a storm and that was generating quite a hype. Such smashing victories were bound to attract attention and we had to dodge a lot of media lately or risk getting swarmed up in distractions. And distraction was something Ash didn't need right now. With the group battles over it was now getting serious. His first opponent was Barry who only made second place in his group. How exactly that happened I wasn't sure but he claimed that it had just been "bad luck". Regardless, the hyperactive, blonde Trainer from Twinleaf would be Ash's first real challenge. They had had a few sparring fights in the past and had been more or less evenly matched. Sure Ash was definitely the favorite this time around but to write Barry off just like that was bound to invite disaster.

Getting up, I headed towards another room in our lodgings. Barry wasn't the only thing on Ash's mind. The matchup pairs for the next rounds had been decided already. If all went as planned he would face Paul in the semi-finals. Yet, even more important was that with their overwhelming success both Ash and the mysterious Phantom were on other sides of the brackets, meaning they would only meet in the final. And it seemed Ash was already expecting it to happen this way. I wasn't sure if he had a suspicion regarding the unknown Trainer and if he did, he wasn't elaborating on it. However, he had been going over strategies every free minute as if expecting the greatest battle of his life.

Quietly I slipped into the room we were using as a study and frowned slightly seeing Ash sprawled over his notes, snoring lightly. Forcing a wry smile, I shook my head at his stubbornness. Logically seeing he had little reason to second guess his success. However, what had started with the decision for the special training before the tournament was more than just that. He was determined to see this through and leave nothing up to chance this time.

For a moment I lingered at his side, watching quietly. Despite obviously stressing himself out, he looked quite peaceful now and it made me smile softly. That he was pushing himself so hard concerned me but I wasn't overly worried about his performance. In fact, I had utmost faith in him that he was going to win this tournament and make his dream come true. After all the dedication he had put into this tournament, anything less would be unacceptable for him and unimaginable to me.

There were a few things that I would have really liked to do in a situation like this. My feelings for him had settled awhile ago and I knew precisely what I wanted. But the time for a more romantic setting would come later. Ash had promised we'd continue travelling together, preferably just the two of us. There was plenty of time then. For now I would play the role of the steady support and be there for him when he needed me.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

First Arc: Breaking the Limit

Episode 3: Road to the Final! Challengers Everywhere!

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**(Narrator)**

"The first rounds of the Sinnoh League competition are over and Ash has breezed through them with smashing success." C'mon, guys, give him a harder challenge this time. It was starting to get boring. "Today he will face one of his rivals. Will Barry be able to compete against the overwhelming strength Ash has so far shown in this tournament?" As if. I wondered why we didn't just jump straight to the final. It would help me trying to build up suspense where no suspense is needed... "Eeek!" Dodges lightning bolt. "Sorry, sorry...! Ah!" A fireball singed my hair and I scrambled for the door in desperate flight from the mad muse. Hastily yanking it open I was flattened by the wrecking ball...

[Maia snickers from atop the wrecking ball. "Serves you right. Never heard of building up atmosphere?"]

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**(Barry)**

With the crowd going wild all over the stadium and the anticipation before the match reaching its climax I felt a strange, unusual calm. This was it. The moment of truth. I had reviewed most of the matches from competitors who would prove the greatest challenge. Before the tournament I would have said that Paul was surely going to be the hurdle to take if one wanted a chance at the title. Life, however, was full of surprises and now two others were the hottest candidates for the final. And the biggest surprise was that Ash was one of them.

I should feel excitement over this but somehow I couldn't. Not that I had given up already. Every Trainer with ambitions like ours always came to win, nothing else was allowed as a goal. The best I could describe was a sense of... yes, almost reverence that I had the chance to test my mettle against a Trainer of Ash's caliber. There was no doubt for me that his overwhelming success was not a fluke or just the work of his Pikachu and Infernape. A Trainer with his mindset would never allow such disharmony in his team.

Let's see if I couldn't force him to show his true skills. "Ready or not, Ash, I don't plan on losing here!"

Ash sent me an answering grin, his concentration cracking a moment. "Wouldn't want it any other way!"

And with that the match was on. And going right against my calculations. I had hoped he would start with Pikachu and not Infernape since so far he had been switching around every match. However, it didn't matter either way. Skarmory would have had a bad stand against either of them. Timing was everything here. "Skarmory, start now! Spikes all over the field!" We had intensely trained for this. A shower of small but sharp metal spikes struck the rocky terrain in a seemingly endless stream. Normally spreading the ability in this quantity would seriously dampen its effect but the damage was not the idea here. Seeing Ash frown and Infernape unsure for a moment only bolstered my confidence in this strategy.

Not wanting to give them time to get accustomed to the situation I followed up. "Tailwind, now! Then follow with Defog!" I had Skarmory specifically retrained for this match as soon as it was clear I wouldn't make first place in the group and end up against Ash. The momentary confusion and to greater extend, the highly impeded radius of movement allowed Infernape to get hit by the Defog. I wasn't stupid enough to believe the Tailwind would make my Pokémon faster but with the prepared ground it would serve to even out the field.

"Infernape, jump and Flame Wheel!" Ash had recovered and responded. I had expected that and was pleased to see that Skarmory managed to slip past the incoming Infernape. Just as expected. Without the ability to gain speed on the ground, jumps out of a standing position were still breathtakingly fast but not as impossible to follow.

I had no illusion of Skarmory lasting for long though. It was not built to be a sweeper. Indeed Skarmory managed to evade two more attacks barely but it was clear that the gaps were getting radically different. Ordering him up, a flaming sweep kick was evaded and with the way Skarmory had been positioned would send Infernape right into a particular area thick with metal spikes. "Quick now, Brave Bird!" Using the speed picked up from the dive and the effects of Tailwind, Skarmory came down with a similar spectacular meteor-like appearance as Ash's Infernape had done in other matches before. Said ape had just landed, barely avoiding getting hurt by the spikes and to my satisfaction didn't make a move to try and avoid Skarmory's attack.

For a moment I truly thought it would work. The Defog should ensure the impossibility of a close-quarter evasion in such limited space. If Infernape stepped willingly into the spikes it would seriously hamper its movements on a permanent basis. What I didn't expect was what happened next.

"Infernape, bend with it and counter with Blaze Kick!" To my astonishment and dismay I saw Ash's Pokémon face the attack head on. There was a definite collision and a clear hit. But instead of getting drilled to the ground or flung across the field, Infernape twisted its body along with the attack, allowing it to actually flow around Skarmory's body, following this fluent movement with a sweeping kick covered in flames that smashed right on top of the steel bird, disrupting any attempt to complete the move and avoid crashing into the ground. I didn't need to wait for the dust to clear to know that with the added fire in the attack that there was no way Skarmory would get up from this one.

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**(Pikachu)**

Sitting this one out was harder than I had anticipated. In hindsight I might have dealt with this situation a little better. The constant evasion training had given me an edge of flexibility in movement that Infernape hadn't quite reached yet. The Defog further impaired his movements and even while able to endure Skarmory's attacks and effectively taking it out of the match with the counter kick, the maneuver had left him weakened.

By far not beaten. But Barry had successful managed to force Ash into a position to consider continuing and needing to show more of Infernape's qualities or to switch out. "Pika pi," I queried softly, glancing up at Ash and seeing his mind work. Perhaps Barry was actually hoping that it would be the former, in the hopes of taking Infernape out of the match completely. He would be in for more surprises then.

As I had suspected, as soon as Barry had send out his next Pokémon, a Hitomnlee, Ash recalled Infernape much to the surprise of the majority of the stadium and the frustration of Barry. Much like Conway he was clearly set up to deal with a high speed battle. Skarmory was meant to impede speed and movement which Hitomnlee could then take advantage of. Ash had deliberately chosen his party for this match in anticipation for such a tactic and to throw of the other competitors who were sure to be watching.

Gabite quickly took Infernape's place, taking a few hits from the spikes but nothing our endurance training hadn't prepared us for. For Infernape and to some extend me the spikes would have been more of a problem but Gabite wasn't that speed-orientated to really care about it. With interest I followed the second battle as the two Pokémon clashed fast and furious. Hitomnlee started out with a Mind Reader and Focus Punch combo which Gabite blocked and reversed to counter into a Dragon Rush. Hitomnlee took the punishment well and countered with a kick which Gabite once more caught, prepared to slam Hitomnlee to the ground but found himself the victim of a Reversal that send it right into a concentration of spikes. At this point Ash had had enough of the field advantage Barry had created and had Gabite clear most of the field with an Earthquake.

Barry obviously realized he wasn't getting far with this and finally brought in Empoleon at this point, trying to capitalize with a powerful offense of water attacks right away that kept Gabite at a distance and busy. However, the field was clear now and there was much more room to move. Evasion training was kicking in to a great deal now. Most other Pokémon would have been overwhelmed under the barrage but Gabite was weaving through it as best as possible and taking the rest in stride.

I could see Ash was fully concentrated on Empoleon's attacks the whole time and sure enough he had figured out the timing after a short time, ordering Gabite underground at precisely the right moment. For a moment committed to an attack without a target, Empoleon was unable to get out of the way when Gabite came out of the ground with a hard jab that lifted the penguin straight off the ground and open for a devastating Draco Meteor that carried Empoleon up into the air upon its ascend, dropping it hard to the ground as it split for the actual attack.

This battle had been a lot closer than most of the previous matches. Barry had definitely made his homework. However, it wasn't enough. Whatever suspicions some might have that the gap between Infernape, me and the rest of Ash's team was a big one, they should be squashed after this match. The real tournament had begun now and while we still wanted to retain some surprises we couldn't afford to play around. Especially not if what Ash suspected about Phantom's identity turned out to be true. Hiding the rest of the team's abilities would in that fact be far more outweighed by giving them actual battle experience in this environment.

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**(Ash)**

While Barry recalled his beaten Empoleon I used the chance to look up into the stands, towards the V.I.P. box. Leaf had pulled some strings and had managed to get everyone up there... Something about my friends surely being better company than some annoying officials. This gave me a chance to actually spot Dawn cheering for me, along with Piplup. I always thought she was kind of cute playing cheerleader and her support in this manner gave me an extra boost of confidence. Before quickly returning my attenion to the field, I caught Leaf's gaze, studious and calculating. I frowned slightly, the suspicions that had been driving me harder for awhile now only getting stronger. How likely was it that someone else beside the two of us with a similar training was here?

Shaking my head, I pushed the thoughts back for now. I couldn't allow myself to get distracted. Barry had proven as much a challenge as I had expected. He had definitely been creative. Unfortunately he had also tried one thing that I myself was quite good at even before the extra training. Controlling the field had always been a strong point of mine and while initially surprised, I did not need long to figure out the purpose and strategy behind Barry's actions.

"Good work, Gabite," I congratulated my Pokémon. For his first real major fight in a setting like this, Gabite had stayed focused the entire time, a trait that he had been showing ever since his evolution where before Gible had been lacking a bit in that area. Dodging and withstanding the attack barrage from Empoleon had tired him out somewhat though and there was one more Pokémon I wanted to give some experience. "Your turn, Torterra!"

To be fair, that matchup was rather uneven. Barry had clearly chosen Hitomnlee to deal with Pikachu and/or Infernape in the wake of Skarmory's setup. Torterra was the one Pokémon in my team that stood in clear contrast to my usual orientation in battle. And I had no intention to show everyone just how "agile" my Torterra was. Not yet. So, once again, I resigned myself to a wait and counter strategy as I had been doing for pretty much the entire match. In a way that was a good thing since it would keep the opposition guessing even more from seeing me successfully deviate from my normal battle tactic.

Torterra had little trouble shrugging off Hitomnlee's attacks regardless of what combination was tried. Patiently I waited for the attack that eventually had to come. I was fairly certain that it would and sure enough Barry was ordering a Blaze Kick a little while later. "Raise a barrier!" I called out. Torterra immediately jammed his strong vines into the ground and had them come spearing out of the ground in front of the charging Hitomnlee. If it had been just that, the fire kick would have easily shattered a wooden barrier but we had worked on this defense technique for awhile now until Torterra could make it as fast and sturdy as it was now, reinforced by layers of earth that dampened the attack. It still broke through but Hitomnlee had lost all of its momentum. "Energy Ball!" Still hanging half in the air, the green sphere hit it straight in the chest and carried Hitomnlee up further into the air. I would give neither Barry or his Pokémon time to recover though. "Now, Razor Storm!" Technically this was a combination formed with a Leaf Storm as a basis but the individual leaves as sharp as a Razor Leaf attack which gave the attack a more physical edge.

Barry tried to have Hitomnlee block the attack while still in midair but it was too dense and altogether too fast to defend against effectively. After endless hours of trying to hit Pikachu, Torterra's aim had become outstanding and the overwhelming number of razor-sharp leaves had Hitomnlee soon surrounded, obscured and then crashing to the ground. I had to give him that he was not giving up, trying to get to his feet after that. However, the last attack in addition to having fought with Gabite already proved too much.

"That was great, Torterra." I recalled the big Plant Pokémon with a sigh of relief. I could safely say that I was satisfied with this battle. Barry had given me as good a battle as I had expected and Gabite and Torterra had performed excellently. I should think we were ready for the last matches if there just wasn't that sneaking suspicion. No, I shook my head. Even if it was true, that didn't change anything. All of my Pokémon had worked hard to come to this point and there was no reason to doubt their ability to preserve against any challenger. Whoever it might be, I added silently with a glance up at the V.I.P. box.

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**(Leaf)**

"No really? He did that?!" I exclaimed in delighted surprise at the latest tale related by the other girl. My initial assessment hadn't proved me wrong. Dawn was indeed a peculiar and very likeable girl. To that point, I had only been half-joking in my flirting comment at our first meeting. Of course I would never intrude on someone else's territories, friendly teasing aside.

I could see why Ash was liking her so much, enough that he had finally broken this shell of his and allowed himself to venture out into the wide universe known as relationships. Even in that short time I had known her – and this was really our first chance to talk in an unofficial setting – I could tell a few things already that made her special. A strong, shining personality was at the core of her strongest traits. Her goals were set and she pursued them with a similar idealistic drive as Ash and I did. In that regard we were all very similar. While still developing she already had a certain aura that inspired those around her – and most importantly her Pokémon – to go those extra lengths in order to see her smile happily. To have that kind of effect was something I had come to believe as the small but significant difference between a potential Elite Trainer and... a legend.

Therein lay the crux and why I could see that Ash had fallen for her, and also why, if circumstances had been different, I might have done so as well. The bond that Ash and I had formed in that one year was something I valued highly and had not found with anyone else. We were kids then and didn't truly understand how important it was until we were separated. However, it never became anything more than a strong friendship. If there was love, then it was more a sibling love. And therefore, regardless how much Dawn was fitting right on the same wavelength, that road was already closed to me.

There was no regret over that realization. No bitterness or even just a touch of bittersweet longing. I was glad for Ash that he had found someone who he could share and live out his dreams with. He would need that in the times ahead. Both would...

I shook off the dark path my thoughts had taken involuntary. It was not time to think along those lines already. There would still be time, time that they needed to develop. "So," I decided to tease a little more, hopefully prodding in the right direction. "Have you and Ashy kissed already?"

Dawn flushed, looking away quickly and I couldn't suppress the giggle. Just too cute. Everyone around them knew, could probably tell at first glance, they didn't even make an effort to hide. However, for all that, they seemed comfortable to stay in the silent affection phase for now.

"N-Not yet..." Dawn spoke softly, confirming my assessment. "There's a lot going on and Ash needs to focus on the tournament." I raised an eyebrow. "Well, um..." The bluenette suddenly seemed to gain a little more confidence and I could see a glint of mischief in her eyes that intrigued me. "I wanted to save it for a special moment."

Aha, so she had thought about it. Probably quite a lot. She definitely wasn't a tomboy but clearly a romantic at heart where it counted. Good for Ash. The poor guy would probably just stumble along otherwise. Cutely so but still with little plan on what to do. "Got anything particular in mind?"

Dawn now grinned slightly. "A couple of scenarios..."

Before she could further elaborate the object of our discussion had finally figured out where we had run off to. "There you are!" he exclaimed. "Brock said I'd find you here, probably swapping embarrassing stories about me."

Dawn had the good grace to blush. I just shrugged and smirked at him. "Among other things."

He snorted but sat down next to Dawn. "I'm glad you two are getting along." All of us smiled at that. The first meeting had indeed been awkward but now that the initial misunderstanding had been cleared, I was glad to have been accepted so easily by Dawn as well. I wouldn't want to be the source of conflict between Ash and his girlfriend.

I was about to make some witty comeback but Ash beat me to it. Leaning forward he peered at me with a suddenly rather intense and scrutinizing gaze that I couldn't quite understand. "I've got a favor to ask. I'd like to see where I'm really standing before the last three rounds so I thought we could perhaps have a battle."

Oh boy, how was I supposed to answer that one now...

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**(Brock)**

While the girls were having some bonding time and now with Ash off to join them, I had been left fairly alone in the small café. I wished I had followed as well but it didn't feel quite right to intrude. It was fortunate enough that Dawn had been quick enough to forgive and actually bond with the other girl. Old childhood friends could often become one of the major stepping stones in any relationship. Especially because there was often enough some mild to serious interest from said friend which could quickly escalate. Thankfully it wasn't Kenny that was here. The other boy had made it more than clear last time that he liked Dawn a lot and was jealous of the fact that she was travelling with Ash. It would certainly become interesting when they ran into each other again in the future. Leaf wasn't that kind of person. Her feelings for Ash were clearly platonic.

I still wished I had tagged along. Being grilled by Paul of all people about Ash's sudden increase in skill had not been a preferable activity. To be fair, I was surprised he had waited so long to say something. By now I had been more certain he would simply accept it and quietly prepare for it. Not that he really asked much or pressed long when it became apparent that I wouldn't be forthcoming but the intimidating look and the suspicious stare had been unnerving. Paul wasn't necessarily as bad as he came across most of the time. I knew for a fact that while Ash despised Paul's attitude towards his Pokémon, he also held a high respect for his rival as a Trainer.

If I thought about it a little more, Paul actually getting emotional about Ash's fast growth, was almost out of character and left only one conclusion. He was nervous, unsure of just how great the jump was that Ash made and how he achieved it in such a short time. After all, Paul had been one of the last serious challengers to fight with Ash, he even witnessed the event where Monferno evolved. From an outside view I could understand just how big the difference became.

That wouldn't stop Paul from giving the best he could. He always demanded that of his Pokémon and thus of himself as well. When I told him simply that Ash was really looking forward to their rematch, he had just grunted and walked away but I could catch the tiny glimpse of a pleased expression.

Leaning back in my chair with a weary sigh, wondering again why it had to be me to have this confrontation, my thoughts drifted away again, like so often in quiet moments these days. The tournament was coming to a close. If everything went as we hoped there would be two more major events. Barring the quarter finals against an opponent that so far had shown no outstanding abilities to suggest an upset, there was the expected semi-final with Paul and the final, probably with the still unidentified Phantom. The matchup had officially the highest exchange rate with Paul VS Phantom coming up quite a ways behind that.

I would soon have to decide what to do after the tournament. Surely I would once again spend some time at home. My siblings would be missing me and I felt that whatever Ash and Dawn had planned together after this, I would feel like being in the way. Giving them some time by themselves was something they needed to deepen and stabilize their relationship.

However, much like before, I had never been able to stay home for long ever since setting out the first time with Ash. Always I had ended up with him again, the pull of adventure, the knowledge I could only obtain by travelling, luring me. So far I had always been assured that it was my dream to become a breeder. Lately though I had started to think along a different path. Perhaps it was all the time I had to play field medic for our travelling party's Pokémon that had made me think about becoming a doctor. It wouldn't be so very different than what I had been doing so far. A lot more theory though and would I really want that? So far I had done well with my practical learning. Despite that, I often felt that compared to Ash, May and then Dawn I seemed to always fall behind in getting closer to my goals.

I sighed again, once more not finding an enlightening answer. I doubted I would have one before I returned home and had some more quiet time to contemplate my future.

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**(Dawn)**

I was a little surprised not to find Ash poured over strategy notes like he had been most of the time lately. Instead he was sitting outside on the small bench on the balcony of our suite. As I stood in the door I took a moment to study him. Something was different now. The somewhat hectic, definitely concerned air around him was gone. Whatever had Ash so spooked, he seemed to have gotten over it. No, not over it. More like a resigned calm had settled over him.

Thinking back to my talk with Leaf before Ash had interrupted us, I quietly slid the door closed behind me. There was no point in trying to surprise him, he would know by now, regardless how absorbed he might be in his thoughts. However, he clearly wasn't expecting me to boldly slide onto his lap. The action was followed by a long moment of silence, then another... "Do you mind?" I smiled sweetly, sounding a lot more self-confident than I felt. I honestly meant what I told Leaf. As long as the tournament was still going on, I did not want to push our relationship deeper. He had enough on his mind and we were both in rather unknown territory as it was. That would serve to be distracting whether we wanted to or not. At the same time I did long for a little more closeness. This shouldn't be pushing things too much, I hoped. Besides, Ash might really need a distraction by now.

It was rather cute seeing him sweat as he tried not to say the wrong thing. Eventually he settled for shaking his head and I shifted so that I was with my back to him, pleased to find his arm coming around my waist with only a slight hesitation. He might be a little slow than it came to the emotional stuff but Ash had proven that he could be surprisingly adaptive even outside of a battle situation.

"Are you upset that she turned you down?" I guessed at his mood, though I still had to figure out what this had to do with his shift in attitude tonight. Ash had obviously not been pleased when Leaf had turned down his challenge, even if I had to give credit to her reasons. For one, a major battle with someone of her skill at this point could both exhaust and dull Ash's concentration, easily leading to underestimation of the remaining contenders. That Leaf was swept in official work, making acquaintances and generally getting introduced to the upper echelon of the Pokémon League now that she had decided to take the Master title officially was also a believable reason. I had wanted to have a talk like today for some time now but Leaf had always been busy. On the other hand, this particular reason, truthful as it was, would also go through as a cliché excuse. An excuse from what though?

Ash had been silent for a bit and so I started slightly when I felt his finger playing with my hair. Was he doing that on purpose or unconsciously? With the way he ended up surprising me sometimes, I could never quite know and decided to simply enjoy without questioning. "Not really. I mostly wanted to see how she would react." So he knew she would refuse? How? And what did her reaction have to with this? There was something I was missing. What did all this, what did Ash's challenge and Leaf's refusal have to do with Ash's intense preparation in the last days? That had started as soon as we had established that Phantom was probably the real deal. In that regard I could see why Ash wanted to challenge Leaf, whom he would regard roughly on a similar level as him, as preparation for the expected final and greatest hurdle in the tournament...!

All of a sudden the puzzle pieces were falling together... or at least into a more recognizable order. "You mean..." They were still pieces, some of them not quite fitting. "But... But she was there when Phantom fought. We were with her," I voiced my doubt. And probably Ash's confusion as well, judging by his frown.

"I know. I can't say how but just think what we have already seen when it came to illusions and hypnosis." No, not really doubt or confusion. There was an almost total certainty there. He just didn't have a real answer to the contradiction standing in the way of his conclusion. I wasn't so sure about the suggestion that a Pokémon had something to do with it. That would take a powerful psychic at least to pull off in a convincible manner. And I couldn't fathom the reasons for going to such lengths.

Ash chuckled slightly, taking me by surprise. "Well, regardless of how. At least I know what to expect. I wanted a challenge after all." His tone was light but I caught the underlining mixture of emotions ringing from excited anticipation to confusion and slight bitterness.

I honestly wasn't sure what to say to this revelation. I still had my doubts but Ash apparently didn't and the way I saw it, he could judge this one slightly better. In the end, I remained silent, snuggling a little closer to him and trying to express my support this way. Even if his suspicions turned out to be true, my confidence might have taken a damper but it was still unshaken. I believed that he would win this tournament. However, it might just have gotten a whole lot more difficult.

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**(Ash)**

One thing I had learned during my many participations in tournaments was to totally devote myself to the battle. A lack of concentration could quickly spill disaster. Especially when it came to nearly equally-matched Pokémon, the Trainer most of the time would make the difference. I had perfected that focus long before the three training months and only sharpened that skill in order to keep up at blinding speed. That allowed me even now to keep my concentration when it became painfully clear that the older girl across the field could not keep up.

Pikachu had already cleared out two of her Pokémon before I had decided to give some arena experience to those that hadn't fought yet. Buizel was out first and I hoped I didn't come across as mocking or belittling to my opponent by purposefully setting it up against Cherrim in full Sunshine Form. The weather had staid excellent which gave the flower Pokémon an extra edge which it had been quick to further strengthen by intensifying the already glaring sunlight with Sunny Day.

As expected a fast Solarbeam was quick to follow. "Buizel, Aqua Jet Spin!" From out of all my Pokémon Buizel had taken the most to Dawn's original spin move and made what was a purely evasive maneuver into an offensive weapon. With high speed Buizel passed just above the Solarbeam, spinning rapidly like a drill of high-pressured water. Cherrim managed to dodge, however, the sunlight greatly enhancing its performance once more.

That didn't end Buizel's spin though. Out of all of his moves, this Aqua Jet variation might just be its greatest asset. The spin gave a fast but at best mediocre water attack extra drive and damage potential, adding maneuverability in the air to the sequence which did not end with the initial assault. Curving through the air as if actually flying, Buizel used the boost from the spin to turn the attack around for another assault. I had to give my opponent the credit that she was quick to adapt and had Cherrim quickly attack the incoming Buizel with a few Magical Leaves that despite their sure-hit nature were all evaded with deft movements, barely allowing them to glide past and through the water surrounding Buizel where the high pressure actually cut the leaves apart.

Despite how impressive the action looked, the Aqua Jet could not be maintained indefinitely and another pass would be hard to achieve and doubtlessly lose much of its momentum, I knew I had to finish it now or leave Buizel in a hazardous position. "Buizel, now!" On my command Buizel cocked back his fist, channeling cold energy into it while still maintaining the spin. The timing would be everything now and determine just how ready he was for the decisive two rounds.

My opponents must have realized what I was up to as well and in desperation called out for another Solarbeam, figuring that with Buizel this close, it would be enough. I had no doubt that a direct hit at point-blank range would do him in, even with all the training. Buizel was a fighter but not quite yet on the growth level of the others. Fully concentrated I waited just until Cherrim was finished charging. Having seen and calculated how much it took under these conditions – which wasn't long – I was able to determine the correct moment to put the final touch onto my tactic.

"Sonicboom to the ground, now!" Using his tail, Buizel created a shockwave that shook the arena floor. The effect was shocking to my opponent and the Cherrim as well. So far the drilling Aqua Jet had been rather graceful in its movements. The pressure from the sudden Sonicboom sent Buizel jerking up, clearing the intense beam of sunlight by just a small margin. However, instead of losing control because of the sudden directional change, Buizel quickly had the spin back under control, sharply descending once more, only now trailing wisps of cold air, descending upon the helpless Cherrim like a bird upon its prey. "Ice Punch!"

Power, speed, inertia and elemental weakness were clearly too much for Cherrim who was driven into a ground with a protesting wail. Small ice particles exploded from the impact zone before Buizel eventually pulled away from his defeated opponent. I acknowledge his efforts with a satisfied nod. Execution of the sequence had been flawless and I was in fact very pleased. Buizel had made another jump in precision and speed.

When the referee declared the winner, I couldn't help but once more chance a glance up towards where I knew the others would be sitting. Strangely enough I didn't feel as anxious about what I suspected would be ahead of me should I make it to the final. There was nothing but a good battle to strengthen your confidence after all. My Pokémon had all trained hard and were in top condition. In fact, if anything, now was the perfect timing for such an opponent. Now was the perfect time to win even the toughest challenge.

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**(?)**

Just like the matchup before, the next was a similarly mismatched choice, clearly designed to give the utmost challenge to Staraptor as it went facing Rampardos. Then again, even if it was a deliberate setup, Ash had never been one to let type difference get to him regardless of how extreme and radical the odds were. Rampardos clearly had the upper edge concerning its moves. Not only the Rock Slide but the surprising Thunderbolt would have been very damaging if they hit.

IF was the keyword. Once again the superior speed and agility of most of Ash's Pokémon became the decisive factor. Staraptor was naturally fast to begin with but what I could see now was very close to the warp-like movements Pikachu and Infernape had displayed on several occasions. Back and forth it zipped with unnatural ease through hazardous rocks and lightning, not one of them coming any closer to touching it when its Trainer wanted.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

I didn't turn my focus from the fight below, committing everything I saw to memory. Ash wasn't giving away much, so in order to prepare I would have to draw conclusion from the smallest details. The spot atop the stadium's outer wall gave me a surprisingly good and clear view, especially when Staraptor climbed up higher and in a move that I could definitely appreciate created a sharp downward wind that shook up the group and a sight-blinding sand cloud, much like a smokescreen.

"I don't see anyone else providing him with a challenge here, I'm afraid. Besides... he might already be stronger than me," I analyzed in reply to my partner, watching as Staraptor used the smokescreen of sand for a dive, actually taking a hastily thrown Thunderbolt head on without flinching. In moments it was down on the ground and the eventual goal of the tactic became apparent to everyone as it started to hammer Rampardos with a powerful Close Combat, moving its wings and talons in a way one would not think a bird capable of.

My partner snorted, announcing his doubt. "I don't doubt his skills. But surely he isn't quite there yet." Staraptor down below briefly disengaged, allowing the Headbutt to ram into the ground to leave Rampardos open for another round of combos that was enough to take it out of the match.

"Maybe, maybe not. Didn't you say he is supposed to be the Chosen? If so, then he'll need to be ready soon. If he isn't, better to show him now than learning when it is too late." I saw Ash sending another glance up at the V.I.P. box. He wasn't stupid, of course. To what extend he suspected, I wasn't sure but I doubted he had figured out the full story yet and with the shadows pulled so tight around us there was no way anyone could spot us here. I turned to look at the black Pokémon with the striking red hair and fox-like appearance. "Besides, I'll use a team that he has at least a chance against. Not that I'm going to make it easy."

My partner, whom I had only known for a short time as we happened upon each other by complete coincidence, made a rumbling sound which I had learned was the closest thing to a laugh I would get. "Still, it's kind of cruel to do this to your friend, isn't it?"

I shrugged, turning my attention back to the fight. Pikachu was back in the battle and so I didn't really expect many more interesting things to happen. The battle with Paul would certainly force him to show more and I was looking forward to that. "As I said, I have a feeling he might surprise us all, even more than we could imagine. Besides... He wanted a match, right?"

My partner merely gave another rumble and we continued to watch the rest of the quarter final that was all but decided already.

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**Author's Notes**

And done, just one and a half day short of going off to work. I wanted to get this finished before then and I did. This chapter was a bit of a bridge for the final two rounds when the action will really get more interesting.

First of a note for potential beta-readers, especially to Paolo. If you like to apply, please do so per mail or IM while logged in. If you leave your addies please realize ff . net does not like links or email addresses and rigorously cuts out anything that could pose as one... which I do find kind of ridiculous. Point is, I even specifically modify one html file for this before posting and putting empty spaces between the dots etc. Please do the same when sending your addy over an IM because otherwise I have no way of replying, especially when you are making an anonymous review like Paolo did. My email is in the header, as I said all links modified for this purpose.

I dropped a lot of hints in this chapter and I believe they were obvious enough for most of you to figure out where I'm heading for the final matchup. If you still didn't get the clues, you'll just have to wait. I'm not elaborating further until I fully reveal the facts in the story.

I hope you liked the battle scenes I did show. I did sent the Barry fight over to Twilight for a first impression and he seemed okay with it. It really is a problem trying to write a battle that regardless of how you turn it, it will be one-sided without letting the other side look bad. I definitely won't sink so low as bashing. That is one of the big no-no's for a serious author and unfortunately is already far too widespread in certain sections. Bashing is merely a confession that the writer is unable/unwilling to make the effort and understand the character they are writing about from an objective point of view. So you won't find it in any of my stories. My style doesn't really allow it either since I focus more on inner mental and emotional workings than an outward description and retelling of a story. Bashing would just not fit and be entirely too awkward to do in first person view.

Since I'm on the topic. I haven't really said anything about my writing style of changing first-person POV. I hope the newer readers are getting used to it because I doubt I won't be changing it anytime soon. In my opinion this style really is perfectly suited for my needs. Thoughts and inner workings of a person is one of these things where writing makes the difference to a TV series, movie or otherwise graphically animated media. While there are ways to portray these to a certain extent, someone writing first person POV or even an extremely internal third person POV will always be able to portray more of a characters thoughts and emotions than would ever be possible on TV. I consider this the difference separating the written and visual media.

The next part will definitely take me a little longer. Not just because I'll be busy most of the days now but I need to put some serious thought into how I want the battle with Paul to play out. I hope you'll be patient and feedback will always be inspiring and might actually speed up my motivation and inspiration. I would advise anyone really interested in updates or progress reports to subscribe to my site list at: group/msd_updates. Progress reports are more likely to go over this than anything else.

Until next time and don't forget to R&R, yours

Matthias


	5. 0104: Rival Clash! Ash VS Paul

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: First Arc, Fourth Episode

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**(Narrator)**

We zoom in on the central stadium of the Sinnoh League Competition. The crowd was roaring and generally going wild in anticipation. On either side of the battlefield, a perfect balance of plain ground, grassy patches, rocks and even a small but usable stream of water going from end to the other. "So far we have seen many amazing things, including a dominating Ash right on his way to the coveted title. But now he will face his old rival. And while it seems that Ash is unstoppable this time, will he overcome the one Trainer in Sinnoh he has never truly beaten so far? Stay on board and see, because you don't want to miss this epic fight..."

Please make it at least somewhat exciting this time!

Even as I lamented over the one-sided affair of matches so far the referee had given the start signal and Ash's Buizel and Paul's Metagross took the stage...

Wait! When did Paul get a Metagross?

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**(Paul)**

In the end I had arrived at some fairly simple conclusions. To assume that Ash's growth was a fluke was nonsense. To assume that the gap between his leading Pokémon and the rest was big enough to allow an exploit was very risky at the very least. The previous two rounds had proven that even if there was a gap, the rest of his team was still on such a high "normal" level that putting them off in favor of singling out Pikachu and Infernape would prove a disastrous tactic. This left very little options to apply a viable tactic or devise a team roster that could effectively deal with such opponents. As such I had decided on a simple but hopefully effective opening tactic that should give me an edge. Other than that I had not set up my team in response to my opponent. So far that had proven ineffective. I could only count on my best Pokémon for this battle and quick, in-battle decisions. After all, hardly any strategy survived first contact with the enemy.

Metagross was my trump card at the beginning. It had been a lucky find on my way here and had taken me quite an effort to catch. I hadn't been sure whether to use it or not since we had little time to actually train. I needed that edge now though. "Metagross, begin as planned," I simply ordered. Immediately Metagross began to concentrate enormous psychic power, before rising off the ground and using the gathered power to slam down with an Earthquake having a similar effect as a Fissure. As expected Buizel was up in the air before taking any damage, however, that was not the point.

The field so carefully constructed to serve as an all-purpose field as a special attraction for the semi-finals was soon enough severely devastated. Large fissures tore a spherical border around the center, creating a deep trench that immediately began to draw out the water from the stream. Metagross was far from finished as it began to set up the second stage. Producing huge chunks of metal, an enormous dome of steel rose from the created trench, effectively cutting the battlefield in half. It was a good thing that the officials had installed a platform system as was practiced in other Leagues to allow for greater movement of the Pokémon in the final rounds. Well, that aspect was reversed now but it allowed a good view on the inside of the dome.

"An interesting idea! But let's begin for real now, shall we?" Ash called over from his side. For a moment I wondered if I should be offended by the lack of impression. If he was impressed, he was carefully hiding it. I still thought I had a good starting matchup nonetheless.

The setup was done. It was time for the real battle. "I intend to. Metagross, Iron Defense!" The response came quickly and it proved a good idea to start out defensively. That Aqua Jet variant was powerful, the demonstration in the previous round had been very impressive. However, it was obvious that it was also Buizel's main form of attack, not quite possessing the variety some of the other Pokémon had shown. Metagross had high standing power though and could take a lot of hits. At an appropriate time I had it fire off a Meteor Mash, anticipating the evasion already but using the added effect to raise my own Pokémon's power.

As the battle dragged on, I realized with some concern that Buizel was actually leaving more damage than I had anticipated or found bearable. I needed to end this quickly. So far I had measured Buizel as perhaps the weakest link along with the relatively new Gabite. If I could not take the lead here, the rest of the battle would be a real pain.

Fighting down frustration, I forced myself to wait for the right moment, just as Buizel came around for another pass, preparing to launch another Ice Punch... Perfect. "Bullet Punch combined with Zen Headbutt!" I ordered just moments before collision. Neither Trainer or Pokémon had obviously expected a speed counter. Metagross were usually slow but its high psychic power along with extraordinary intelligence could result in great boosts of ability and a perfect timing. Even with Buizel having the greater momentum, the rocket start from stationary to moving at just the right moment allowed Metagross to score a devastating hit that flung Buizel away, crashing into the opposite side of the steel dome clearly out of it...

Not before having left a hard hit with his Ice Punch though, I noticed with a frown, never having seen the move connect in the first place.

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**Opening Theme (Dream Wing, Mai-Otome 1st Opening)**

On the backdrop of the Sinnoh region map, Ash appears on the left, then Dawn on the right, then quickly between them Brock, Pikachu and Piplup. The logo appears behind them.

_Mitsuketa no dream_

_dokidoki ga tomaranai_

Ash sits on a boulder, his badge case in his lap. He is deep in thought, then looks up and we see a stadium, the view quickly zooming up to the fire ignited on top.

_MEISTER DREAM_

The scene flawlessly continues into a shot of the Grand Festival trophy, then quickly fades out to show a stage...

_umaretano takaramono_

_mune ippai ni kirameki hajimeru_

Before finding Dawn, sitting in a field of flowers. She has been looking up similar as Ash, but now looks down and places a hand over her heart, a soft smile on her face.

_doushite konna ni fuan ni naru no kana_

_kakae kirenai omoi_

_namida koboreru kedo..._

The screen splits showing Ash and Dawn running towards the image of the stadium/stage separately. They each reach out with their left/right hand but can't reach it. They become aware of each other then and this time both reach out with the other hand, clasping them together before jumping forward. The scene flashes white.

_kitto itsuka tadori tsukeru yo_

_tsumadzui tatte akiramenai_

Ash is in the middle of an arena, face serious, pointing forward. Pikachu jumps forward sparks flying. Quick shift through Ash's Sinnoh team fighting. Gabite fires off a Draco Meteor. From the burst emerges Buizel zipping by in an Aqua Jet, followed by Staraptor crossing paths in a diving attack. Torterra drops into the screen and lets loose with a hailstorm of leaves, out of which Infernape comes blazing and bathed in fire. He is joined by Pikachu running along with Volt Tackle.

_yuuki dashite mae ni susumou_

Dawn is in the stands, cheering them on along with Piplup. Brock is next to her a little reserved but also cheering. Ash is meanwhile faced with a mysterious cloaked figure. A Pokémon – it cannot be seen which – is sending out a blast of black energy.

_chiisana ippo fumi daseba_

_hora ne, atarashii watashi_

Pikachu burst forth, wrapped in a cloak of lightning. Ash looks on grim, a little helpless. A transparent image of Dawn appears behind him and gives him a huge. Ash balls his fist and takes a step forward. Pikachu bursts out of the black beam. The screen shifts one last time, Pikachu streaking in between Ash and Dawn standing arm in arm. Ash has a confident grin on his face and Dawn is smiling happily.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

First Arc: Breaking the Limit

Episode 4: Rival Clash! Ash VS Paul, the Rematch!

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**(Dawn)**

Surely I mirrored the wince and expression of concern Ash was showing right now. Not that I was really, deeply worried. This might have been Ash's first Pokémon that he had actually lost in battle – an impressive feat considering this was the semi-final – but none of us had expect this streak to hold. Paul was another caliber of opponent altogether, one Ash fully respected for his skills at least. He hadn't expected to get out as unscathed as he had from his previous battles.

The surprise was more in the fact that it had happened so fast. Paul had clearly gotten the better start and the setup he had used was quite useful. There was nothing absolutely perfect to use against Ash short of having Pokémon trained close to the same results than his. The training had covered too many variants to find any one weakness to exploit. Cutting movement space like this was a sound strategy to be used as an additional help but not the ultimate answer. The loss of Buizel must have hurt Ash but wouldn't deter him. The real battle was only now beginning as Infernape took the field and Paul switched in Drapion.

"Clever, it seems like Paul isn't through with the setup yet."

I turned to briefly glance at Leaf who was intently watching the battle. So far I had been unable to shake off, nor confirm Ash's suspicion regarding Phantom's identity. The idea of an illusion being used was doubtful. I had actually tried using Togekiss' Psychic powers to try and see if there was any reaction during Phantom's last battle in the quarter finals without any disturbance or other irregularity whatsoever. That could just mean that whoever employed the technique was far stronger but the lack of even a ripple or something like that had me stumped. On the other hand I could not refute the logic behind Ash's assumption either... I doubted asking directly would serve a satisfying result.

Shaking off the thought and focusing back on the battle, I saw what Paul was referring too. Obviously he had found Barry's strategy to be efficient enough to combine with his own or already had something like this planned to begin with. Toxic Spikes began to bury into the created steel dome and over the surface, with enough vanishing into the ground to serve their original purpose of making switching a dangerous hassle. Infernape was deftly avoiding the hazardous rain of projectiles but it became clear now that the confined space with all the ridges and jagged obtrusions inside made for a rather small area and avoiding a widespread attack was a task that required full attention. The Cross Poison thus almost caught Infernape unaware but it flipped up and above it just in time. However, Drapion was quick to follow up and shot forward with surprising speed, catching one of Infernape's feet between its fangs, the poison immediately taking effect.

This time I frowned a little deeper. Regardless of the power difference, poison damage was something that could still prove a big problem for us. Poison would slowly grind away at a Pokémon's health and no matter how much endurance, it would eventually succumb.

Drapion did not escape unscathed though as Infernape took his revenge with a powerful Fire Punch – more like a chop – that pushed it back and clear of his opponent. But Ash didn't intend to fight the battle at a distance. Drapion was a Dark type after all and while the Poison type cancelled out the disadvantage to Fighting-type moves, Infernape was still a far better contender up close. Unfortunately Drapion proved to be good at defense as well, countering Infernape's fast attacks with its sharp, poison-coated claws. Despite that Infernape was starting to get several hard hits in although it was a slow process. Perhaps a too slow process as both Brock and Leaf commented next to me.

I knew better though. Many sparring sessions with Infernape had taught me that the closer he came to loss, the more fierce and determined Ash's Infernape would become. Paul had not even seen a fraction of its full potential.

Before Ash could prove my thoughts though, Paul surprised everyone by switching out Drapion. Either he was skeptical himself that his Pokémon could last long enough or he had something else in mind. The latter became apparent when a Gastrodon took Drapion's place, presenting perhaps the worst possible matchup for Infernape.

Leaf giggled next to me and I shot her a scathing look at her show of bemusement at Ash's predicament but she didn't seem to notice... or mind. "Now I wonder how Ashy will handle this." Unfortunately she was right. Even with the achieved Limit Break, Gastrodon's double resistance to Fire was merely cut down to a normal resistance. With Infernape already in bad shape from the poison, things were really not looking good right now.

I chanced a glance towards Ash and was reassured to see that he was maintaining his concentration and was not showing signs of concern. In fact, it seemed the way Paul was challenging him now actually got him excited. And an excited yet focused Ash was far more threatening.

"Just watch and see," I replied with a small grin myself. Perhaps seeing some of Infernape's true potential would draw an interesting reaction where previous methods had failed.

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**(Ash)**

Paul had indeed surprised me. I had almost expected the strategy he opened up with. He wasn't as arrogant as he often came across and not above using someone else's idea as long as it was promising to be successful. The two layered setup definitely showed the difference between Barry and Paul. Paul had a degree of tactical thinking that had me often baffled in the past and at times I felt wholly inadequate in my inability to keep up with. I would like to think that I had caught up in this area as well. While the encased space and poison trap combination was worrying, I had no need to despair.

In fact since he was already poisoned the Toxic Spikes were nothing to worry about anymore. Of course, because Infernape had ended up poisoned that could cause problems in other areas. "Close in with Mach Punch." Immediately Infernape shot forward but that was when things started to go wrong. It was the barest wince as the poison kicked in and threw of Infernape's concentration for a split second which earned him a Water Pulse square in the face. Paul was certainly a lot of things, inattentive wasn't one of them. True to training, Infernape weathered the attack and struck out at Gastrodon, quickly falling into a whirlwind of punches and kicks. Or at least, what others would still think of as a whirlwind. I could see though that the poison was effecting the battle more than I had thought. The damage factor wasn't even the most important aspect. Infernape's movements were less fluent, sluggish at times compared to what I knew it could do and it made all the differences against an opponent like Paul who knew how to capitalize on the smallest things.

It was a heated battle, both Pokémon trading blows but Gastrodon getting more and more hits in as the poison weakened Infernape further. There was still no room for concern, I knew we could pull this around but the timing had to be right or otherwise the best results I could hope for was a draw. I had no intention of seeing either of my two top Pokémon defeated in this battle.

The moment I had waited for came ironically just at a rather unfortunate time and for a moment I was actually baffled as Gastrodon countered a Fire Punch with a Muddy Water counter shield variant that ended up catching Infernape right in the activation. I gritted my teeth as I saw him fly back but reminded myself of the ape's indomitable spirit. I knew this battle was important to him as Paul's former Pokémon and thus he wouldn't give in until every last bit of energy was used up.

To underline my thoughts, Infernape managed to flip and shakily come to a skidding halt some distance away, back against the steel dome, head lowered. It was hard to tell whether he was catching his breath, showing a sign of fatigue or collect his strength. A moment later Infernape literally erupted with a wild roar, its Blaze Ability kicking in. I did not waste any time. Every moment more meant further damage by the poison and I intended to show Paul and everyone else – or someone else in particular – that it wasn't that easy to do my Pokémon in. "Now, Infernape, Heat Wave!"

Contrary to what some might expect, there was no dramatic buildup, no tremendous show of exertion. Infernape simply cocked back his hands and thrust them forward generating a highly-condensed burst of flame that, bolstered by the Blaze Ability and tightly focused into a forward beam instead of a widespread attack, made a distinctive crackle, almost like thunder booming, as it sprang forward. Paul had barely a moment to call out a desperate Water Pulse but that attack hadn't even went a short distance when the Heat Wave swallowed it whole, driving into the surprised and wholly unprepared Gastrodon as the combined might of a Fire attack plus Limit Break enhancement plus Blaze Ability crashed into it. Resistance or not. There was simply no contest. With a high-pitched shriek it was driven off the ground, the attack carrying it along until it crashed into the opposite wall, the residue heat exploding upon contact and melting off some of the steel.

There was a moment of utter silence in the stadium in which part of the overheated steel finally gave way and fell with a resounding clank to the ground and leaving behind a well-sized hole in the construct. Only then did the already fainted Gastrodon follow.

In the end, for all of our training and advancement in skill, nothing beat a good old-fashioned overkill attack to turn the tide.

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**(Brock)**

In hindsight it might have been better to not switch right after taking Gastrodon out of the fight. I could understand why Ash did so. Infernape had already taken a lot of damage and the poison would continue to seep away at his health. Every second out on the field could take him out permanently. Letting him rest would also replace the lethal with normal poison and allow Infernape to recover.

This early switch, however, left both Trainers in a similar position as in the beginning, both not knowing what the other would choose. Paul was obviously better at anticipating and now the matchup was once again against Ash with Staraptor and Electivire facing off. While the Flying type had the advantage of avoiding the poisonous spikes and not be hindered as much by the steel dome, Electivire had the type advantage and was one of Paul's strongest Pokémon that had he could bring into the fight as far as I knew.

Chancing a look to the side, I was once again amazed at the lack of serious worry Dawn displayed. She had obviously a closer grasp of Ash's full abilities. I had been privy to quite a lot during the trip despite being occupied with support duty, however, Dawn who had went through the same routines and through various practice battles could far better judge the situation.

Either that or she was just good enough at hiding her concern.

Ash didn't feel like rethinking his choices either. He was never one to switch rapidly in the face of overwhelming disadvantages and I didn't expect him to start now. Staraptor was fresh and perhaps his fastest Pokémon aside from his two "team leaders" as he had begun to refer them.

The battle started out furious right away and it once again didn't look good for Ash. Paul had clearly made his homework and then some. I don't think I had ever seen an Electric Pokémon throw out Electric attacks in such quick successions aside from Pikachu at the height of training. The Thunder attacks fell like a miniature thunderstorm all around Staraptor, leaving it no time for counter attacks as she was busy dodging…

Or taking damage. It was sheer impossible to dodge them all. Despite the hits Staraptor was taking Ash seemed to be unconcerned. I couldn't quite fathom just what had him so confident. Looking around I noticed I might be the only one there. Cynthia and Leaf appeared to understand and with Dawn I couldn't tell. Not able to contain my curiosity, I asked to no one in particular. "What is he doing?"

"Watch where the bolts are landing that actually miss Staraptor by a fraction," Cynthia answered this time. I watched for a few more moments and began to understand. Staraptor was taking some hits on purpose to draw the next hits closer to specific areas. Areas that were most heavily littered with poison spikes. The heavy electricity was destroying most of them.

Paul seemed to realize that around the same time as me. Unfortunately there wasn't much he could do aside from trying to force Staraptor in specific directions. That, of course, disrupted the actual purpose and allowed Ash to go on the offense. In turn Paul countered by abusing Protect and actually succeeding in diverting almost all of Staraptor's dives. Those that got through were not all that effective. Staraptor's special training allowed it to deal some damage where other Flying Pokémon would have left little to no marks but all in all Electivire shrugged these attacks off.

The battle quickly became a tactical one. Whoever made the first real mistake would lose. Paul definitely still had the edge in many aspects. Staraptor was tiring from all the dodging and no weakness training could account for so many hits in the long run. Ash knew that he had to act soon. Paul knew that as well.

No one in the box dared to take their eyes off the battle, expecting the decisive strike any moment. When it came, Ash did not pull out some elaborate trick, perhaps he really didn't have one in this situation. Instead he had Staraptor perform a simple but effective maneuver where she dived through two Thunders which ended up clashing together and producing a bright flash that momentarily blinded Electivire.

Or it was supposed to. Undaunted the tall Electric type caught the incoming Staraptor bathed in the aura of Giga Impact with its tails. That alone might not have been enough to take the brunt out of the incoming high-speed attack but the static electricity that shocked the poor bird upon contact certainly was. I had to admit that the speed with which Electivire had channeled the electricity at practically the moment of contact had surprised me.

Now Ash was down one more. But with Infernape recovering and Pikachu still fresh, the momentary setback was so far acceptable. The field had been fairly cleared of the toxic spikes as well and that alone could be a major factor in the progression of the battle.

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**(Leaf)**

So far the battle had surprised me on many levels. Ash had told me of his rivalry with Paul and how strong he was. That I could believe but with all the training I had expected Ash to push through the battle with far more ease. Granted, the opening strategy had given Paul momentum but Ash had started to pull things around much later than expected. When he did, the raw power Infernape had shown had been another of the major surprises. From my own experience with Pokémon on this level I knew what true strength lay in such an attack. With so much power an attack like Heat Wave could potentially get lethal. Once you reached that stage it wasn't so much about getting the power than getting the control. Even with Gastrodon's remaining resistance, an uncontrolled attack like this could very well have killed it. There had been no hesitation on either part though. Neither Trainer nor Pokémon had shown any doubt and the execution was perfect.

Perhaps therein lay the crux. Ironically the prediction that some skeptics had made that the gap between Ash's Pokémon was the main reason for his smashing success could very well be true. Not that I would ever accuse Ash of favoritism. The other four Pokémon of his lineup were definitely strong and underestimating would get any normal Trainer into trouble. On the other hand, Ash had clearly put a lot of training into Pikachu and Infernape which I could even understand. However, focusing so much on those two to pursue a strategy of hiding his full skill might cost him now. The other four had gotten little challenge and only about a single matchup each. Pikachu and Infernape with their superior growth could work around the lack of a serious challenge by sparring with each other or perhaps with some of Dawn's strongest. The others could not, not in a way that would give them a viable challenge that they could actually manage to overcome.

I grinned wryly at these thoughts. I didn't even think Ash's strategy so far was a bad one. I might have done the same. Hell, I probably would have left Staraptor in the battle, too. While I had learned the value of not always putting my convictions over a reasonable strategy, I could still emphasize with him. The problem had no clear solution. If one wanted to call it a problem to begin with. Outside of Elite Trainer circles it would be more one of luxury that most Trainers would enjoy having.

The battle had entered another close call as Drapion was back on the field and engaging Ash's Gabite. Both were trying to continue where they personally or their predecessor had left off. In other words Drapion was trying to reapply some more poison spikes while Gabite was countering these efforts with Earthquakes that eventually ended up making far more impact by shaking up the already battered steel dome and forced Paul to give up this avenue in favor of a full-scale attack.

By now I had estimated that Paul's team was roughly around the same experience level as Ash's mid to lower team, with one or two perhaps slightly stronger. Gabite was a recent addition, I didn't need to be told to see it and the fight now was rather intense and even. It could go either way and neither Trainer was prepared to give any ground. That was actually worse for Paul than it was for Ash. No doubt he had hoped to create at least a two win advantage early and maintain it for as long as possible. Neither Pikachu nor Infernape were out of the battle yet and I doubted the latter was going to be any less dangerous from poison and fatigue. The less Pokémon Paul had left the harder it would get for him.

The battle was drawing to its conclusion. So far Drapion had been able to get past its disadvantage against the ground attacks by showing an exceptionally posture that allowed it to take the shockwaves from the Earthquakes fairly well and immediately launch counter attacks that kept Gabite on its toes. Ash had finally given up his reluctance to get in close when a stray shot with Drapion's tail got a minor hit in, enough to inflict a poisoning.

Dragon Rush soon met Cross Poison in a struggle for dominance. The poison had slightly weakened Gabite and it was enough to negate any advantage it might have still had. The result was as such a fitting one for the battle with both Pokémon ending up knocked out. Once again I had to wonder though if Ash couldn't have won this one either. He was fighting rather reserved, very unlike him. Was he having this much respect for Paul? Be that as it may. The score was numerically in Paul's favor but in terms of potential probably more for Ash. The next match would show whether Ash's rival could pull off a real surprise.

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**(Paul)**

From all my battles in Sinnoh so far two had been the most frustrating. Cynthia I had all but expected to be without real chance. To have been so thoroughly outclassed had hurt but I could live with that as a learning experience. Brandon had hurt a lot more. Once again I could have lived with a loss but being outclassed once again had been unacceptable. In the end I had grown from this experience once more. I wondered if I would grow from this one as well?

A casual observer would think that with an advantage of having one more Pokémon than my opponent, I shouldn't be thinking something like that. The simple point was, however, that I had merely gotten lucky that Electivire had been able to stop Staraptor and Ash hadn't switched out. His reserved fighting style had me a bit puzzled but even with that, the advantage I had wasn't the one I had calculated to need in order to stand a real chance. The power of Infernape had been startling and I could not give into any illusion that it would be easy pickings the next time around.

Once again I had to suppress the urge to let out an uncharacteristic chuckle at the way our choices ended up producing interesting matchups. You wouldn't normally get to see a Torterra battle another Torterra. Perhaps I actually still had a chance to force my opponent into defeat. Not discounting the obvious stellar growth of his entire team, Ash's Torterra had just very recently evolved. I hoped that should suffice since I couldn't really count on much more. The last battle had more or less destroyed most of the previous setup. Not that it would have made that much a difference between two tanks to begin with.

The tactic was quite obvious. Despite his reserved fighting style today, Ash would surely be the one to go on the offense first. My Torterra had taught his Grotle how to use his new body properly but Ash wasn't the type for tanking strategies. Sure, I had to admit that not only his Pokémon but also his tactical ability had grown. That, however, would never change a core battle principle completely. It wouldn't for me and so it wouldn't for him.

And there was no need to. I had but a moment to think in my state of shock when Ash ordered his Torterra to attack with a Headbutt. Before I could even begin to frown at such a wasted effort the speed with which his Torterra shot forward had me floored. For precious moments I was frozen in disbelief and when I finally reasserted control, it was already too late. My own Torterra managed to brace on his own against the attack but the momentum left him dazed while Ash's Pokémon carried right on, using an impossible fast Rock Climb to – of all things – scale what remained of the steel wall on my side. No Torterra... no Pokémon of that size and weight should be that fast!

I struggled to regain control of the battle, ordering a shower of Razor Leaves at the scaling opponent but aside from its speed, Ash's Torterra's true marvel obviously lay in evasion. The few leaves that actually hit were little more than bug bites, of course, and already it had heaved up on the curved edge of the steel wall, somehow managing to keep a steady purchase.

Even before the attack came I already knew that I had lost control of the situation, unable to do anything but react as the momentum of surprise carried Ash and his Pokémon forward. Even while both were of the same type, the hailstorm of razor-sharp leaves that crashed from one Torterra to the other were just as hazardous as they would be to any other.

Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to stay calm even as I saw my chances of winning slipping even further through my fingers. "Frenzy Plant!" I knew it was a desperation move. The outcome had been decided the moment I allowed a momentary lapse of concentration to underestimate Ash's Torterra in comparison to my own. I should have known better.

As expected the Frenzy Plant did cut through a good portion of the leaves but there were just so many and Ash had already followed up the attack as his Torterra came plunging down with a gravity-defying jump which only gave the Energy Ball crashing into my own Pokémon all the more power...

I knew the battle was lost at this point but Torterra wasn't my first and among my strongest Pokémon for nothing. The unorthodox series of moves had exposed Ash's Torterra to one last attack from mine. Struggling to remain standing my Pokémon quickly reached out with its vines and grabbed the forelegs of his brethren just as the Energy Ball struck home. The effort was dulled by the force of the attack but my Torterra managed to yank one last time which sent Ash's Torterra crashing hard into the wall to his right as it came tumbling down in a more uncontrolled fall. That didn't take it out but at least inflicted some serious damage.

Not that Ash gave me the satisfaction of trying to capitalize on that as he recalled his Torterra right away. I wasn't quite expecting his next choice though...

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**(Infernape)**

For the second time I emerged from my Pokéball. The first time had not gone quite as well as either my Trainer or I had expected. That didn't deter me then though and it would not now. This battle was entirely too important for me on a personal level to show any weakness. I would not give my former Trainer the satisfaction of seeing me go down.

It wasn't just about Paul though. While fighting against him provided me with a certain extra motivation, the real strength I was drawing from Ash. Without him I would not be where I am today. Right away, he understood far better how to draw out my potential than Paul ever had. His philosophy was inspiring and the desire to pay him back for all he had done for me came naturally. Paul had always just demanded and expected. Ash was willing to work on the growth of each of his Pokémon's at their own pace. And not just that. Even before that special training Ash was far more personally involved in the growth and training of each of us, willing to risk his own health to help us master a technique or overcome a personal problem.

And so I stood defiantly against Paul's Metagross. The recovery might have been brief but I had managed to achieve what I wanted to. Ash had pulled me aside in those last three months regularly to train my newly-gained Fighting type and the benefits that came with it. The recovery and resting function of the Pokéball had allowed me to focus more easily on the meditating technique that had allowed me to all but cleanse the poison that had hampered my movements so much before from my body.

Sweeping my eyes over the battlefield I noticed that things had changed quite a bit. The whole area was still rather desolated though. This was different though compared to last time. "Infernape, go in close!" I smirked and shot forward, no doubt surprising both Metagross and Paul. Against that blonde Trainer two days ago the problem had been that the spikes were so numerous they had hindered serious movement with constant danger to my feet. The ruined ground and partly collapsed dome were actually in my favor. Sprinting and jumping I used the obstacles to dodge a psychic blast narrowly, swinging around a jagged piece of rock and slamming with a flaming kick into my opponent. Immediately I was gone again before the Zen Headbutt could hit. I was already well clear, switching from close to long-range on Ash's short preplanned strategy call. The Heat Wave wasn't quite as focused as earlier. Instead I used the flames as cover to launch into a Flame Wheel and managed to roll straight over Metagross' upper body before spinning away and through the hole in the wall that I had created earlier. Catching the upper edge in mid-spin, I flung myself up on top of the wall to see what my opponent was up to next.

"Jump down, then Dig!" the urgency in my Trainer's voice allowed me to act immediately. Fully trusting Ash's better view and tactical sense I barely managed to get clear as the whole wall came crashing down in an impressive show of psychic ability. Relying on our training how to act underground, I made a few zigzag tunnels, digging around where I knew my opponent last was in a longer arc and coming around from behind his position.

As luck would have it, my timing was perfect as Metagross was focusing on the other direction as I came up and sent the metallic Pokémon skywards with a flaming punch. "Finish it. Flare Blitz!" Ash knew that we couldn't afford to give Paul a chance to retaliate. I hated to admit it but the last battles had worn me down and victory would hinge on finishing this as fast and cleanly as possible. Which I could do.

My position once again allowed me a few stepping stones which I used to gain speed by jumping upwards after my opponent. Doing a Flare Blitz upwards was normally a rather uncommon and often stupid idea since it took most of the momentum out of the attack. We had trained several variants and I could technically make one with only a simple jumping start that actually maintained most of its drive. Taking a few extra jumping points to gain speed and momentum was enough to give Metagross no time to prepare. Timed just in a way that brought me into contact just as my opponent was at the apex point from the Fire Punch. For a moment my progress was hindered as I felt a psychic barrier trying to ward Metagross against the attack but with a roar and sheer willpower added to the momentum, this last feeble defense was breached.

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**(Pikachu)**

I knew it would be my turn even before Ash had recalled Infernape. He was just too exhausted and Torterra had taken quite a bit of damage from his kin's last attack. It seemed that with the last two battles Ash had shaken off the reservations he had at the beginning. I could understand where it was coming from. After having fought so many times, Ash was reluctant to play into Paul's hands and give him opportunities to counter. The conservative battle style at the beginning had cost him the one or other fight that could have been won. We both knew that.

Which meant I would be showing my true colors. There was no more room for risks and gambles. Magmortar and Paul could almost be pitied. They had no idea what was in store for them. The world around me began to slow down to a crawl as I launched into the first attack, vaguely aware of Ash calling out short orders. However, this time it was more for the benefit of the crowd since I was already starting to execute them before they were spoken. Once again our harmony was paying off and put us three instead of the usual two steps ahead.

The first "Quick" Attack had brought me into a position to drive into the Fire Pokémon's stomach, slip away before it even noticed and pour a Thunderbolt into its back just as the pain from the first hit set in. Prepared for the retaliation I was moving before the first Flamethrower came anywhere close and even when Paul had Magmortar switch the stream into a spin designed to trap me, I quickly pushed off the ground, jumping well clear.

For a moment I soaked up the awe from the audience. I might not have the martial arts knowledge of Infernape but I could easily stay in the air longer than him, making it almost seem like I was hovering. From this position, bombarding the opponent with Thunderbolts was most effective. Unlike Electivire I had no need to cause a storm. The bolts were fewer but almost every single one was a hit with enough intensity to leave a serious scorching mark. That Magmortar hadn't fallen yet was a testament to the hard training Paul put his Pokémon through.

The real fun began though when Magmortar lifted his right arm and began to scorch the arena with a volley of fireballs. All the evasion training with Torterra came into play now. The barrage was fast and furious and – knowing of Magmortar's special skill – certainly searing hot. However, it could have just as well been balloons floating towards me. Pushing my speed even higher and utilizing the air currents I slipped through the machine gun-like shots, dashing off to the side when the second arm came up to increase the volume of shots. Very slowly Magmortar began to follow the movements, wincing under several Thunderbolts in the process. Once again I took to the air. While most would think that was a bad idea against such rapid fire, I had learned to use and ride the air currents to a higher degree. Even without wings, it was enough to keep me in the air for a longer duration and still slip around and through the barrage.

Any second now.

Trainer and Pokémon were becoming frustrated as I scored another hit, narrowly avoiding some shots. Just as Magmortar was swinging around for another try, it ran out of ammo – or fire? I honestly didn't know exactly how it worked. It didn't matter either. With a grin of triumph I launched into a Volt Tackle, performing a near 90 degree change of direction. As I fell gaining even more speed, I prepared myself for the last moment maneuver I was sure to perform. Paul had proven several times in the battle that he could time his attacks with the speed of the others in our team.

Unfortunately for him, there was just no contest in my case. With ease I slipped below the Fire Punch and continued on my way to impact. Not satisfied with that, I used the greater mass of my opponent to my advantage. As soon as I was certain to have caused enough damage, I pushed back and launched myself backwards to minimize the recoil.

When I came back to a stand for the first time since the start of the battle I was as pleased as Ash was certain to be that aside from some minor recoil damage – which was more a slight wooziness than anything else – I had not been hurt at all.

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**(Ash)**

For the first time since the battle started I allowed myself to let go of the inner tension. With Paul down to his last while I still had three left with Pikachu hardly winded, I felt confident that not much more could go wrong. The beginning had been more bumpy than I expected. That could have been attributed to Paul's clever strategy. The continuation of this trend, however, was my own fault.

This might sound more philosophical than I felt but Paul and I had something special going throughout this entire journey through Sinnoh. From our first meeting until now he had challenged me like no other had on such a constant basis. I tried and tried to prove him wrong, that my way was better. And lost again and again. Theoretically I had known that those three months special training had brought me far enough that I could... no, had to win. Facing off against him once again, reminded me of all those previous encounters, however, and I did perhaps feel more... intimidated than I should. Instead of pulling my tactic through, I had constantly be wary, fearing some surprise that would once again put me behind the other boy.

That wasn't all though. Maybe more important was that this rivalry meant a lot to me. We might have been in disagreement about our methods but that didn't mean I could not respect him for his skill, respect him for the rival he provided that I could strive to defeat. Perhaps, because of that, I held back in order to humiliate him. However, that line of thought was foolish. Showing anything less than my best would be a far greater insult. I would feel the same when facing a superior opponent.

This hesitation would end now. "Pikachu, shatter it!" Electivire had put up a Light Screen to deal with the constant barrage of Electric attacks that affected even a Pokémon of the same type. For a moment my best friend stopped the barrage and focused on a stronger blast, the lightning striking right through the protective barrier and throwing his opponent of its feet. Electivire was in no position to properly retaliate. Even should some of those Thunders hit, it would be more a boost to Pikachu than anything remotely harmful. Electivire's strengths were physical and up close attacks. Again, even if it should manage to get close enough, Pikachu's speed was the worst possible matchup.

For just a moment I closed my eyes. Play time was over and so was the time for hesitation. I needed to realize that my Pokémon had grown far beyond my expectations and not hold them back anymore. They could only grow more by utilizing and thus getting them used to this degree of power. Regardless who stood in the way.

"Pikachu, Thunderstorm!" I ordered. It spoke of our bond that there was no hesitation and surprise. I had shown some of my Pokémon special variations in the tournament so far but none of the few skills we had painstakingly developed. You could no longer call these variations. They were new attacks altogether.

Electivire was still recovering which gave Pikachu the needed time to still his movements and gather his energy. Just as his opponent was recovering, my best friend was emitting a bright ray of high voltage into the sky, rapidly attracting dark clouds over the stadium. Paul was quick to react and had Electivire snatch up Pikachu with its cables, however, it was already too late. The extra electricity only served to fasten the process and before Paul could call out another attack, Pikachu's body began to crackle, bathed in pure electricity. No, it was more like Pikachu was actually made out of pure electricity.

Bolts of lightning flashed out of the sky, burning holes into the ground and uprooting the last of the dome still standing. Finally they began to converge together all crashing into Electivire who let out a roar of agony while Pikachu remained unaffected. Pure lightning and electricity produced by normal Pokémon attacks were vastly different in potency. It had taken Pikachu a long time to fully master the element like this and even longer to make it into his own so that he was not affected.

With a final bright flash the last of the lightning discharged and its target fell backwards with a loud thud, almost deafening in the sudden silence in the wake of the storm and the shock of the audience.

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**(Dawn)**

It had taken awhile to understand the mental battle that Ash had waged with himself during the fight. At first, I too had been somewhat irritated by his conservative tactics but the more and more I had time to think about it, the more I understood the reasons. And it seemed Ash had done the same in the end, dispelling my and his own concerns with a truly and literally thunderous final. Leaf had been smiling at the last attack but I wasn't sure just what about. Happiness, anticipation, eagerness, worry?

For now that was not important. Having hurried down to greet him, as soon as Ash emerged from the catacombs I was there to hug him tightly. Perhaps to others Ash's win over Paul was still a relatively easy and overwhelming one despite the start. For Ash it was a lot more and there were no words needed to express all of these aspects.

Surprised for a moment, Ash relaxed into the hug eventually and his own arms slipped around my waist. For a moment nothing was said and no one could bother us. The outside world slipped away and I merely enjoyed this feeling and tried my best to bring my own feelings across. Support, pride... love. I could sense the turmoil of emotions in him ebb. Even after the victory and graciously accepting Paul's surprising handshake, the strain from the fight was still lingering.

Then the moment slipped away and I looked at him with a crooked grin. "You were cutting it close there for a moment," I joked.

Ash grinned back. "Aw, have some more faith in me."

The laughter eased the last tension from him that I could feel. I was reluctant to let go but knew we couldn't stay like this forever. The other semi-final would start soon. Ash wanted and needed to watch, hoping to gain at least some more information on his final opponent.

Who that would be was almost out of the question. That was a bit harsh towards Phantom's opponent, especially considering we were talking none other than Nando. The problem was Nando had gotten relatively good luck with his opponents so far. I could attest his skills, of course, but I honestly believed he was more suited for the stage. Against someone of today's opponent's caliber there was no contest. I would be glad for any surprise but had no great hope for a miracle.

Still neither of us moved and it had to be Pikachu, jumping up first on Ash's shoulder and then over to my own that provided us with an opportunity to break the hold with less awkwardness. I laughed again seeing Pikachu pout, obviously annoyed at getting no attention. Yeah right. So far our Pokémon had never really bothered us when were having some time alone together. "Yes, you were great, too," I amended with a smile and scratched the small electro mouse behind the ears. Pikachu made a pleased noise and settled comfortably on my shoulder.

That prompted Ash to laugh again at my sudden predicament. Not that I minded, really. "I think he is getting a little too proud of himself," he half-joked. I didn't think Ash was really worried about overconfidence. Everyone knew what was at stake and no one wanted all the effort to be wasted because of a lack of concentration. Perhaps some of the losses today were a good thing to remind everyone that the way to the top was no cakewalk. The next battle would be infinitely harder and demand everything Ash and his Pokémon had learned... and then some.

We were so close. So close to Ash's goal. With a start I realized what I had thought but did not question it. At some point seeing the other achieve their goal had become part of our own. And whatever support I could give for that, I would. Ash would do the same for me.

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**(Narrator)**

"And thus the long anticipated battle between Ash and Paul comes to an end. While struggling for part of it, Ash has prevailed and shown even the last of the skeptics that he has the right to stand in tomorrow's final. Who his opponent will be and how Ash will deal with perhaps the biggest and most important challenge of his young life...? Tune in next time!"

I had to wonder if I was getting extra payment for corny speeches. Eeek, sorry! *dodges lightning bolt thrown by an irritated Maia*

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**Author's Notes**

Phew. Despite work and the episode's greater length this one went a lot faster than I had expected. That being said I will warn right away that episode 5 will likely take awhile. Next week I'm going to be rather busy, even well into the weekend. How much time and mental room I will have left for writing, I cannot say and won't promise anything. That is okay though since I'm going to go over the earlier episodes once again and add a few things, then give them over to Paolo for beta-reading.

To be fair, I honestly don't know if I should be satisfied with this episode or not. Writing and squeezing a full out 6 VS 6 battle into one episodes leaves very little room for anything else. The way I did it now flowed well but I'm honestly not sure what an impression it will make on you, the readers. Any feedback on that would be greatly appreciated. I doubt I'll reconstruct this episode any time soon if ever but I'll have some better knowledge for the final then.

Ah yes, the annoying narrator. I had a lot of fun with him in TFSTTM so I decided to bring him back and will add him for the first episodes as well. He's more for comic relief and perhaps providing a more general view on the action if absolutely necessary.

I honestly have very little to say about this episode, so I won't bore you further after such a long read. I do thank everyone who has marked this story as favorite but please try to leave a review once in awhile if you are at it. I always appreciate a good old-fashioned mail as well. Especially if you have a little more to say. CC is always welcome and I like to discuss concepts if you give me the chance and you are more likely to get a reply through mail.

Until next time then. Whenever this may be, yours

Matthias aka MysticMew


	6. 0105: Memories, Promises, Premonitions!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: First Arc, Fifth Episode

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**(Narrator)**

"Competitor Nando is down to his fourth Pokémon while Phantom is still going strong with Houndoom. Will Nando still be able to make a comeback?"

Down in the hastily rearranged – as best as possible after the chaos of the last battle – arena, Lopunny popped out of its Pokéball. Nando was definitely looking less calm as usual. His face was set in fierce concentration but there were clear signs of mounting resignation.

"With the fierce battle between the rivals Ash and Paul over, the final round in this tournament is just one night away. And as it seems Ash's final opponent has been all but decided already. What will Ash do against an opponent with an even more outrageous record than himself? Can he finally make the cut? Can he take… The Final Step to the Master… And can you finally stop giving me cheesy quotes!"

*CRASH*

"Ah! No! Not the flamethrower!"

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**(Pikachu)**

Things were looking about as grim and one-sided as expected. Nando had fought valiantly but his opponent was just simply too good. While making a good stand against Phantom's Houndoom, Nando's Sunflora, Kricketune and even Armaldo had all fallen. From what I could see Houndoom was every bit Infernape's equal when it came to speed, fighting spirit and raw power. That Flamethrower was definitely of a high grade quality. Enough so that even Armaldo felt it as if its Rock type didn't exist. What that meant was obvious and in this regard I truly shared Ash's concerns. Our next opponent obviously had more experience, thus more Pokémon that may have broken their natural limit. Just how much we couldn't be sure.

There was nothing to be done about this. The gap shouldn't be big enough that we couldn't breach it. If anyone could, it would be our team. We were ready for this. Maybe today had been a little bumpy but that would be different tomorrow. Paul had definitely been the harder opponent, no offense to Nando. In fact, Ash had gotten the harder bracket to begin with. A proper comparison could not be made, at least not one that would adequately show Ash's strength compared to Phantom's.

I found my confirmation down on the field where Houndoom was showing clear signs that winning three battles in a row had been tiring. Nando's Lopunny was strong enough to capitalize on that, getting in close with a Jump Kick that nailed the fire dog in the side but was shrugged off. A counter consisting of an intensely powerful Flamethrower soared towards its opponent once again but Nando had Lopunny cleverly counter with Blizzard. The intense heat and cold collided and while the Flamethrower clearly burned through to impact slightly weakened with a Protect, the area erupted in smoke, obscuring the sight from both Pokémon.

Nando would not wait though and I understood why from my own experience. Lopunny's ears allowed it a very acute hearing and so it could locate its opponent even without sight. We had discovered this ability with Dawn's Lopunny during training. Even Nurse Joy had said that as far as her species goes Dawn's Lopunny possessed an extraordinary hearing.

That wasn't everything that came with the evolution though. What seemed to have passed as a simple crush at the start of our journey together, had suddenly been reignited. For awhile it got so bad that I had had trouble concentrating on my training and had to tell her in no uncertain terms that my only concern right now was to make sure that our team would win the Sinnoh League, no distractions allowed. I simply wasn't sure what to make of her to even entertain the thought of something like our Trainers had. Lopunny had gotten a lot more... playful, to put it mildly and I was sure that even if she was really leaving me alone right now, there would be more to come...

Down below Nando's Lopunny had used the smoke as cover and with its acute hearing managed to blindside Houndoom. It helped that the smoke actually seemed to confuse Houndoom's smell. The result was a point blank Focus Blast that together with some of the other attacks Nando's previous Pokémon had scored finally did the vicious dog in.

_At least_, I thought, _it isn't a total upset._ Infernape would have the slight type advantage in a direct matchup and I was sure I should be fast enough to stay a step ahead. That assumed a lot, of course. First of all, one had to expect the number of high experience Pokémon in the opposition to be equal enough. The even more terrifying thought might be that Phantom was still holding back. Unlike Ash, there had been little to no challenge in the cloaked Trainer's fights. There was nothing to really make an adequate guess with. Something that only further hardened Ash's belief in his opponent's identity. I glanced to the side where Ash, Dawn and Leaf were discussing the battle. There was something I was missing. A familiar feeling that I couldn't quite pinpoint...

The effort was abandoned quickly. It served little purpose anymore. At this point, mere hours away from Ash and my most important battle since the start of our journey, we could only count on our own strengths, our own will and belief to win.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

First Arc: Breaking the Limit

Episode 5: Memories, Promises, Premonitions! Countdown to the Final!

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**(Nando)**

I struggled hard to keep my calm but it was getting harder not to slide into hopeless resignation. As a Trainer I did go into the battle with the goal to win, of course. Anything less would be shameful. However, before the match already started, I knew it would be a colossal task. A task I could not afford any mistakes in order to have a chance.

I did not make any mistakes, at least as far as I could objectively judge this. Yet, the gap was even bigger than I had imagined. Despite my brief talk with Ash yesterday where he had explicitly warned me of my opponent, I had not expected to be so thoroughly outclassed. Granted, so far I had had challenging but overall manageable opponents. Only my second group phase battle had been remotely close. The class difference was therefore experienced even stronger.

I was really trying but desperation was hard to prevent in a situation like this. After finally taking out that Houndoom, I had briefly hoped to make some headway but the Mismagius now out was even more annoying. I had to force switch Lopunny out for her lack of effective attacks against a Ghost type. But Mismagius had even somehow resisted the effects of Altaria's Perish Song and I had yet to figure how. Even worse was, this put me on a limited time table with an opponent that so far had with ridiculous ease avoided any other attack. Just as I was prepared to switch Altaria out, my opponent had her trapped in a Mean Look.

At this I let out an uncharacteristic growl. My own Perish Song would do me in any moment now. Not that Phantom gave me even that much time. "Rock Gem." All of a sudden the Ghost, who had so far been content in avoiding and delaying, literally phased forward and shot a sparkling ray of light at Altaria, hitting it at high speed before I could even react.

For a moment the pressure of frustration threatened to explode before I pushed it down. That would serve no purpose and I would at least bring this battle to an end as best as I could.

"You have fought well." The all but genderless voice of my opponent startled me as I recalled Altaria. So far no words had been exchanged and only brief commands given betrayed his or her presence. Curiously I regarded the cloaked figure, waiting for what my opponent had to say. After another pause, Phantom continued. "I regret taking you out of the tournament but you aren't a worthy challenge for Ash."

In my situation it was harder to ignore what one could perceive as an insult. However, once I did, I caught onto the hidden message in the statement and it made me frown. Two facts had been all but revealed. First of that my opponent was somehow familiar enough with Ash to call him by first name. And there was a strong implication that Phantom's mere presence in this tournament was some sort of test. What it meant exactly I wasn't sure and doubted I would get a satisfying answer for.

"If I might make a suggestion. It is admirable that you are trying to be a Trainer and Coordinator. However, trying both I fear, robs you of a clear-cut goal to pursue. From what I have seen I would rather see you on stage than in an arena," Phantom continued before I could ask.

There was no temptation to be offended by the words this time. They held a certain truth in them. Making the semi-final on my first try in such a great tournament was a great accomplishment – more than I had dared hope for – but compared to my fight with Zoey at the Grand Festival I felt much further away from competing with the very best. That was one thing the battle had already taught me.

I wasn't about to let this battle go though. After all, I was a Coordinator, too, and thus a performer. The audience and my own pride demanded I gave my best. Lifting Roserade's Pokéball, I finally gave an answer to my opponent.

"We shall see."

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**(Brock)**

In the end, there were no further surprises. Much as predicted, Phantom did not lose anymore Pokémon. Nando had given as best as he could, actually forcing Mismagius to the edge of defeat with his Roserade but it was not to be. He took it with grace though and the audience recognized and respected that. Not dissolving into frustration and bitterness at such an overwhelming defeat wasn't easy.

I could sympathize. Seeing all those amazing battles filled me with a certain... longing. I had no ambition to succeed in battles or at Contests but nonetheless I wished for my Pokémon to grow and reach their best potential. Any Trainer would. Stepping back to help Ash in his training was a logical decision. Yet, it made me feel like I was falling behind. More and more as the tournament progressed. I vowed that, as soon as I got home, I would start my own training, regardless of whatever path I decided to choose for myself.

Ash had been rather relaxed throughout the whole battle. Whatever happened between him and Dawn after the match, the tension that had been present not only in the last battle but for some time now had disappeared. If anyone looked at him now, you wouldn't guess that Ash would be in the final tomorrow. The most important match in his life to this day. Of course, I doubted all the nervousness was gone. He had invested so much into winning this time that the self-made pressure wasn't simply going to disappear from one moment to the other.

After making our way out of the stadium – made harder by dodging a platoon of media –, we made our way straight to the Pokémon Center. Ash had already given the rest of his team over to Nurse Joy for treatment in the break. Pikachu would get a routine checkup but even though he had technically fought the most battles, he was the least exhausted... or even remotely damaged.

"So. Are you still planning a last practice battle tonight?" I asked my two friends. Personally I had found the idea of a training match so close to the final a bit extreme... and risky. I could understand Ash being worried about his opponent but he was really putting himself and his team under too much pressure.

Apparently that had really changed. "Nah," Ash shook his head. "You were right about that, Brock. There is no point in it. So short before the match, it will do more harm than good. What we haven't learned yet, we won't now in just one more sitting."

I was glad to hear that. Going into battle with an opponent that was equal or even stronger with you, a fit team far outweighed any last minute progress.

"We just have to trust that we are good enough." At this Ash sent a knowing look towards Dawn and I couldn't help but grin. Obviously that was one thing she had convinced him about. Those two really were good for one another. Already now, in the early stages of their relationship, they managed to balance each other out. With time their feelings and harmony would only get stronger.

"An excellent attitude. Worrying about what could be will only distract you," Professor Oak piped in where he was walking with Ash's mom behind us, the rest had already returned to their quarters. "You have trained hard for this tournament and even if you don't make it tomorrow, everyone who has seen you, will know that you are an amazing Trainer."

"Thanks, Professor." Confidence was clear in his voice now though. "It's not gonna be _if_ though. We will win tomorrow. There cannot be a doubt about that." And he could not allow himself to doubt either, was the hidden meaning behind those words.

Delia clapped her hands at this. "That's the spirit, Ash! Now then, once we are done here, how about I treat everyone to a round of drinks in celebration of today's victory?"

Suffice to say, no one had any objections to that and so the rest of the afternoon proceeded in a light atmosphere, hopefully allowing Ash to forget for a few hours the big day tomorrow.

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**(Ash)**

Had we been anywhere remotely close to the main area of the tournament, the colossal explosion would certainly have attracted all sorts of attention. Attention that wasn't necessary or wanted. There would be enough of that tomorrow. If I could help it, I would not wish to resort to THIS. However, I might not be able to have the luxury of choice. All the way out here, no one would really notice at least. The clearing was about a kilometer south of the main complex. Just a short walk but far enough from the main roads and public areas.

The crater was deep, deep enough to think a meteor had struck the earth. The thick stone that had been at its center was nothing but a pile of fine dust. The results as always were as spectacular as they were overkill. The difference was hard to tell for someone else but I had seen the outcome several times now and for the first time I felt confident. Not entirely satisfied, but it had to do. The control was as good as it could get.

Finally, as if mocking gravity by staying up in the air even longer, Pikachu came down with a final flip to avoid landing in the center where the electricity was concentrated the most, turning the ground scorching hot. Lightly panting, my best buddy looked over to me for approval and I grinned, lifting my hand for a thumbs-up. "Great work. I think you've got the control down. I'd still like to avoid using that but considering whom we are going up against, we'll be better prepared this way." If we were actually forced to use that move, then whatever Pokémon we were up against was bound to have the standing power to take it without lethal consequences.

I had been so intensely focused on the performance that for once I hadn't sensed her and thus was actually startled. "So this is where you went off to." Dawn stepped out from behind some trees. Her accusing expression made me wince slightly. "I thought you said no more training today." Critically she surveyed the damage, eyes widening slightly. It wasn't the first time she had stumbled on the end results of the special training for Pikachu but never disrespected my decision to do this in secret. I bet she was curious though. A moment of silence elapsed as she took in the situation. "Are you satisfied now." There was no accusation. Just a great deal of exasperation coupled with some mirth. I knew she was merely concerned that I would overdo things.

"More or less," I admitted, allowing Pikachu to jump up on my shoulder and patting him for his good work. "I think we can use it if we really have to. Don't worry, that was all for today. I needed to confirm whether the attack was battle-ready or not." I chuckled at her glare. "For Pikachu that was just a little tiring, nothing one good night rest won't cure completely. Right, buddy?"

"Pika!" In response, my best friend gave an enthusiastic response and made a victory sign.

Dawn just sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Ohh, why do I even bother. It's not like I can change your mind. But don't come complaining to me tomorrow, got that?" I found her exasperation rather cute. Definitely much more appealing than Misty ever was. Granted I was rather biased at the moment. "If you are finished, then let's go back already. It's getting dark soon."

_Whatever would I do without her?_ I wondered. Her presence filled me with confidence even when I was frustrated and unsure. While the tournament was going on, she didn't press the whole romantic thing either. There was a lot I owed her after this was over and I would make sure to repay that debt thrice over.

Even as I was thinking that, I caught her arm and pulled her into a hug, much like back at the arena after the match with Paul. "Thank you." There wasn't a need to say more. We both knew the other's feelings. As much as I wanted to express my gratitude, I needed her close right now just as much. I could forget and properly relax this way, to take away the strong emotions of the impending final showdown tomorrow.

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**(Leaf)**

The sunset on this island was a beautiful thing, very relaxing too. The view from up in my suite was fantastic too. Normally I was not the type to indulge in such luxuries but since I was technically here on official business, I couldn't very well refuse all the comforts being offered. While I would have liked nothing more to continue with my life as it had been until now, one could only push off the responsibility for so long. A lot of people had been pushing for me to take up the title of Master officially and truth be told, there was no real good reason not to.

And quite a few in favor.

I definitely had the strength and felt that I knew all about Pokémon that I could at the moment, having seen lots of places and tried out many different things. The experience had been vital, no doubt. When I had won my first League I had been young, excited and full of love of adventure. I could never stay in one place too long and the idea of taking up a title at such a young age was sort of frightening. I know, a lot of people thought my decision was based on the mature notion that I knew then that I wasn't ready. That there had still been much too learn.

That was true. Also true was that I simply didn't want the responsibility then. Being a Master was something most Trainers aspired to but there was a lot more involved than fame and benefits. A Pokémon Master was a representative, known by Trainers and others far and wide. They received respect but they also carried it. As a Master you were a role model. Through your every action you carried a message, an image. A Master gave Trainers and all those otherwise dealing with Pokémon something to strive for, to take inspiration from.

To be fair I still wasn't sure if I could give that but I wasn't the young child I had been back then anymore. There had been younger Masters in the past and after all the travelling I had done, there was little excuse I had left anymore.

There was one thing left I had to take care of though. Tomorrow would be a very special day that I both dreaded and looked forward to. It had been years since Ash and I had seen each other face to face. After the sporadic phone calls and letters – as much as that was possible with both parties not staying in any one place for long – I had been excited about this meeting. Sure the tournament left us little time to catch up and after that we would probably both be on separate journeys again... albeit perhaps with the same profession.

I wasn't sure how Ash would handle winning the tournament. We were very similar in some aspects and still rather different in others. Ash took great pride in these things, much more than me. When I had first called him after my successful win he had been clearly upset with me for refusing the Master title. Granted, he had become a lot more mature since then. We both had grown a lot from that time when we were just two kids, crazy about Pokémon and with big dreams, often getting laughed at by our peers…

**Flashback**

Coming to a new city was always a problem for kids my age. I was used to it by now and frankly I never had many friends to begin with. Especially close friends. Kids like me always stood out and that could go two ways. Either other kids found it incredible cool and would hang out with you because of that or you were just plain weird.

A nine year old who already had a clear sexual orientation was definitely something to stand out… especially the direction of that orientation. I didn't doubt that a lot of parents had an influence on their kids once they learned of that. In the bigger cities it wasn't such a big issue but smaller towns often were a lot more prejudiced. I learnt that the hard way as much as I learned to ignore and take what genuine attention I got.

So far I hadn't been sure where to rank Pallet Town. With my father being very busy as an architect, we moved around a lot. I had seen pretty much everything all over Kanto and we even had been to Johto a few times. I suppose it didn't help a normal childhood that he was always busy the entire day and I had to learn to take care of myself at an early age. That had earned me a degree of maturity that I knew was years beyond my peers, further distancing myself from them.

A commotion drew my attention and I had to smile somewhat wistfully at the sight. There was a boy, about a year or so younger at the most, standing on top of a jungle gym and giving a rather funny but enthusiastic performance as a Dragonite. Just then he switched places and declared victoriously, "Ha! You are no match for the great Pokémon Master Ash!"

The laughs and shouts from the other kids grew in volume and I suppressed the flare of anger. Being the target of teasing and ridicule quite often, I had understood the situation almost immediately. The kid with spiky brown hair was especially mean. "You don't have what it takes to become a Master, Ashy-boy. You need talent like me." At this the entourage of girls squealed and the other boys gave their own shouts of approval and agreement. They didn't seem to drag the black-haired boy down though as he traded some heated words with the other kid, Gary, until the group left, still laughing all the way.

I doubted he noticed me, at least not immediately. Because only now some of the loneliness slipped through and was quickly suppressed when he spotted me approaching. There was a moment of uneasy silence, before he finally asked, "Who are you?"

I gave the boy my best expression of admiration. "Just someone who has been admiring your performance, oh great Master Ash." And while I was, of course, merely playing, there was some small truth in it. He reminded me a lot of me in some ways from what little I could tell so far. He was certainly not the type to just follow a crowd. Despite being put down, the enthusiasm hadn't disappeared from his eyes.

"Huh?" Ash looked confused for a moment and I gave him a small, friendly grin in return. The last thing I wanted was to make him think that I was just making fun of him. In response his face actually lit up. "Err… I mean, you are welcome, Miss..."

I giggled a little and struck a serious pose. "Now certainly, you must know me. I am also a Pokémon Master and my name is Leaf. I have come to challenge the great Master Ash," I further played along in the scenario.

Once more Ash was clearly surprised for a moment but then a genuine smile appeared on his face. Even more now than before I knew that this could be the beginning of a great friendship. I definitely wanted to get to know this boy better. Perhaps this time around, my stay in this town would not be so lonely. For both of us.

"I am always ready for a challenge!" Ash declared boisterously and struck a pose. Some time elapsed but this time the silence was profound. I had to giggle again and soon enough we were both laughing. It was strange in a way. We had just met for the first time but something just clicked. Something far bigger than I could grasp at the moment.

**End Flashback**

Whether or not he was really ready for such a challenge would only be proven tomorrow. I wished we could have had this confrontation on other terms but the situation demanded this course. The events that would soon transpire would challenge him to his limits and beyond. I needed to know if he was ready. The hope that someone worthy enough to give him this challenge would be in the tournament turned out to be futile. That left me with only one option, even if it might put a strain on our friendship... I had to test him myself.

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**(Dawn)**

They had really chosen a perfect time for the tournament. The weather had stayed excellent for the entire tournament – barring the small conjured Thunderstorm from Pikachu today. The night air was cool but acceptable. A refreshing breeze and a cloudless sky, the Moon illuminating the area in its gentle light. All in all a wonderful romantic setting. Any other time I might be inclined to make use of that. The setting was excellent. However, I think I had already gotten more today than I had dared hope before the end of the tournament.

I had been clearly surprised by Ash's forward action earlier but never thought I'd end up lying on the bench, head in his lap while he was playing with my hair. Considering we hadn't even shared a first real kiss yet, that was clearly a big move for both of us. Surely I must have been blushing and he wasn't without embarrassment either when he suggested it. I could tell that this offer wasn't made purely selfless. However, that didn't matter. If I could help him relax by being close to him that just meant achieving two goals at the same time. I had already submitted myself to do everything for Ash so that he could fully concentrate on his matches. This was definitely already more than I was hoping for.

We weren't the only ones relaxing. All over the terrace in front of our lodgings Ash's Pokémon were out and about. Most were just resting, some already dozing off. Even Staraptor was just now getting tired of flying around and settled down in a tree. Aside from his unsanctioned side trip, Ash had kept word. The battle with Paul had challenged some of his team and frustrated others. They needed to get their mind clear for tomorrow. Compared to the match with Paul, tomorrow would no doubt be even harder.

Turning my attention back to Ash when I felt his gentle threading of my hair stop, I noticed him starring at me. The intensity made me flush slightly. "What is it?" I asked curious and a little taken off guard by the strong emotions I could see in his face. So far he had been calm and indeed relaxed, his mind finally able to retreat from tomorrow, if only for a short while.

"I am so lucky to have you." Even though he had expressed it indirectly several times, especially today, I was still shocked to hear it in such a direct manner. I really wasn't sure what kind of response was appropriate right now because, to be very honest, I just wanted to kiss him right there. "I don't think I could have come so far without you." I wanted to deny that but he continued already and I bit back my response, knowing he needed to say these things. "If it wasn't for you, I would be so nervous about tomorrow, I would surely lose horribly. You are giving me that extra strength I always needed to make the final push, Dawn." For a moment he paused and I held my breath, wondering if he would say more. But the moment slipped by and Ash chuckled slightly. "I honestly don't know with what I deserve you."

Frowning, I sat up. He might have said it in humor but there was some truth in the statement that I honestly didn't want to be there. Grabbing his face with both hands, I made sure to put all my feelings into my words. "You deserve so much more, Ash. You have such an amazing inner strength, any girl should be happy to have you. If you think you are lucky, then I can't even begin to describe how lucky I am to have even met you. Without you there I would have broken under the pressure long before making it to the Grand Festival. Don't ever doubt what I am feeling for you, Ash Ketchum, because..."

I had honestly thought about waiting until tomorrow, either before or after the match, however, this was something I couldn't ignore. The situation might never be more perfect. When the words came, they didn't come alone but were echoed in kind by Ash at the same time.

"I love you."

Plunging ahead, despite... or maybe because of receiving the desired reply in kind I leaned forward. The first touch was like a sun exploding in my body, consuming my heart. What started as an action on my part, soon took a mind of its own when Ash pulled me closer and deepened the kiss. Neither of us knew what we were doing. I had not planned for something so passionate but the emotions had long since been there, repressed for the time being and now producing a flood no dam could hold. For several timeless moments that could have been seconds, minutes or even years, something powerful passed through us, connected us on a higher empathic level before fading again, but not completely gone. All that was left and all that was really needed at that moment was the feeling of belonging. The universe right then was absolutely perfect.

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**(Ash)**

In my many travels I have come to meet many people. Yet there are only a handful of which that I would consider truly precious. Among all those none had ever matched the strength of emotions shared with Leaf. Being an only child, with basically only a mother figure, the sense of family, of a true sibling that understood me like no other had been an extraordinary feeling. Especially for a child, barely old enough to even begin to understand all that. When she had left it had been a hard thing to accept. I had forced myself to be strong. Leaf wouldn't cry. Leaf wouldn't be selfish. And so I didn't. Instead I focused on my goal. Focused on catching up to her.

Some of the friends I had made got close to what I felt for Leaf. Brock was a lot like an older brother but for all his qualities it never had the same depth of connection. Misty had been my first crush, sort of. As much as a ten to twelve year old with his head filled with Pokémon almost exclusively could comprehend the concept. I didn't really, not until it was far too late. May had come close. Looking back with a more mature understanding, I believe that had I not been holding myself back, something might have come off it. I had been warring with myself through, trying to sort out all these new and difficult feelings, similar yet different from what I had with Leaf. Before I could sort it out the chance had slipped by.

I am glad I had not made the same mistake again. The time had been right now. All these experiences had allowed me to mature and understand enough about love to realize just how strongly I felt for Dawn. The connection we shared was so much different from the one with Leaf, yet it was almost scary that the potency was just as strong, only focused in a different direction. I honestly never had any romantic interest in whom I considered my sister in all but blood. Thus, this was new and scary and wonderful all at the same time.

For a long time we had danced around the subject even though we both knew what the other was feeling. It was expressed not through words or direct actions. There was no need to. Small gestures, the other's closeness, encouraging words... They conveyed the meaning without telling explicitly. It had been enough. Or so I thought. Now... Now I felt like a big weight had been lifted off my shoulders and the world was just... right. Nothing could touch us at this moment. There could be a rampaging Legendary Pokémon right in front of us and I felt certain it could not disturb us.

Even more. I knew how much Dawn inspired me when I despaired and calmed me down when I was getting too worked up. Right now though, there was nothing I felt I couldn't do. Tomorrow didn't seem so tough a challenge anymore. Just sitting here, bathing in the afterglow of our shared declaration and first kiss, holding this beautiful angel that was my strength and inspiration, I was suddenly absolutely certain that I would win tomorrow.

Even if I had to go through her. This wasn't just for me anymore. This wasn't just for achieving my dream. After all this support, I very well could not... would not let Dawn down. This victory tomorrow would be for us. And no one, not even she would stop me!

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**(Dawn)**

With a jerk I came awake, the brightness of the sun raining light into the room blinding bright for a moment but at the same time... comforting. And I didn't mean that in a way that it was normal and therefore soothing. I could not describe the feeling at all and it was slipping as rapidly as the images of the dream. Or was it a nightmare? I couldn't say anymore and had the lingering feeling that even if I could remember it clearly, wouldn't be able to either.

What I remembered were stray images. I had been looking down on three figures. Two of them I think were Ash and I, the third had had something vaguely familiar, yet I couldn't properly recall the person's face. We were standing on a cliff or something elevated, looking down below. The atmosphere was filled with tension and ominous foreboding, a sense of inevitable... yes, what? I didn't know. I only knew that when my perspective had finally shifted and I saw with my dream self's eyes down to the ground below, that whatever it was that I saw had really spooked me. Frightened to a degree, saddened even more, but there was also some fierce resolve. I wished I could recall what it was that I saw. The dream was almost gone from my feeble grasp already though and with that came the awareness of the actual reality around me.

I had no time for weird dreams. Today was the day. The day everything would come to fruition. Memories of last night returned more strongly now that I was fully awake. _Ash_, I thought with a smile, gently touching my lips. If I closed my eyes, I could still imagine... no, actually feel his lips, the kiss we shared. Such a perfect moment that I had not dared to hope for so soon.

After taking a moment to appreciate the elation and joy at the memory and the realization that we really were a couple now, I threw away the covers and started to get ready for the big day. Ash depended on my support and nothing else but my best was acceptable today.

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The catacombs inside the stadium were almost eerily quiet, even the noise level of the crowd couldn't be heard here whereas you could do so from miles away outside. Anticipation for this final was high. I wasn't that well-versed in the history of League tournaments but I doubted that two competitors smashing their way through the competition only to clash in the finals had happened very often. The media was definitely going wild and I was glad that the officials made sure the competitors were not bothered.

"Ready?" There really was not need for further words but I was nonetheless pleasantly surprised when he had pulled me along after exchanging last encouragements from the rest of our group. Ash definitely was ready. I don't think I had ever seen him so absolutely certain of something. When I found him this morning, he was giving every one of his Pokémon a last pep talk. That quiet but fierce determination and certainty seemed to spread towards his team as well. Each and every one of them was literally glowing with enthusiasm.

"Not yet." Not expecting the answer, I found that there was no time to question it before Ash gently pulled me against him and stole a kiss from me. It was much briefer than the first one from yesterday. Not that I cared, mind you. While a little less intense, the same, amazing feeling of rightness immediately spread through my heart and soul. I imagined it had to be the same for him.

It was over all too soon. Ash reluctantly pulled away and smiled, eyes shining with – if such a thing was even possible – even stronger conviction. "Now I am. Cheer me on, will you?"

I grinned back. "Count on it. Don't you dare lose."

He nodded and Pikachu voiced his confirmation loudly while his Trainer turned around, back and shoulders straight and head held high, ready to go to his most important battle. "I won't. It's..." He stopped suddenly, just for a short moment. I had for once no idea what just went through his head. However, the moment passed quickly and he continued on once more. "It's a promise."

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**(Phantom) *honestly does someone not know who it is yet?***

It was a good thing that I had experience with large crowds after many tournaments. One unused to such a noise level could easily go deaf or at the very least get distracted easily. Experience showed that once the match started the volume would ebb slightly. Most fans of Pokémon battles understood the need for concentration. And once the battle started, a good Trainer would usually be far too focused onto the action to pay much attention to what happened around them anyway.

I spotted him right away as he emerged from the tunnel leading towards the Trainer box. Compared to yesterday there was not even an ounce of doubt. His posture, his eyes... yes, his very spirit shone with confidence. Not an outrageous arrogance but a powerful certainty keeping all hesitation and concern away. There was also something else. Subtle but there. I had to smile. It seemed Dawn had made her move already despite claiming to wait. Good for them.

While I evaluated my opponent, Ash had reached his platform and was now hovering high above the arena, parallel to my own position. The noise of the crowd had gone down, expecting the introduction and announcement of the match, however, Ash cut in before that could happen.

"Just one thing before we start. Would you drop the disguise already, Leaf. It looks totally silly."

I chuckled, not at all surprised. I wasn't sure just how much they speculated or actually knew but then again... Ash wasn't stupid and he knew me quite well. In the end I had mostly kept up the charade for the rest of the audience. With a shrug I reached for my cloak and dramatically threw it off, flinging it down the back of my platform. After all, I had never planned to fight this battle in disguise even if Ash would have not figured it out for some reason.

"Better?" A quiet hush fell over the stadium, for the moment captivating even the last person watching.

"Much." Ash betrayed no emotion. I honestly couldn't tell if he was angry with me or not. And if he was, for what reason. I didn't have to wait long for clarification. "There's just one thing I need to know before we start. Why did you go to all this trouble just to fight me like this?" There was no accusation, perhaps some irritation but definitely no hard feelings. Merely a need to know.

"Several reasons actually, some of them I cannot tell you yet. So I just stick with my original one. When you called me about trying out my training program, I had no doubt that you could pull it off and that it would be unlikely anyone could defeat you here. However, that wouldn't really tell either me or you just how successful your training was and if you were really ready for the big League." And ready for so much more, I silently added. "With the disguise I could enter the tournament and see if there was someone ready to compete equally with you. If that had been the case, I could have bowed out without anyone the wiser and you would still have your challenge. That didn't happen though."

Ash nodded, almost as if expecting it. Perhaps... no, probably he had already worked most of this out himself. "You are not sad about this outcome though, right?" I didn't reply, waiting for him to continue and hoping we was going where I thought he was. "We did promise each other after all."

At this I truly smiled. I had feared he might not remember. A lot had happened since then and I wouldn't have held it against him. I loved him dearly but he could be a bit dense sometimes. He hadn't forgotten our promise after all. The promise we had made when I set out on my first journey. "It just took you longer than you said," I joked with a smirk.

Ash allowed a small smirk of his own, not rising to the barb before he became deadly serious, one hand falling to his Pokéball bag. "I am here now. And I intend to win."

"Good." I grasped my own first Pokéball. One thing was clear. This battle would not just test him. It would also test me to my very limits. If I did not take this fight two hundred percent serious, I could have spared myself the whole act. Not that there was a chance for that. More than anyone else, Ash was the one person I wished to test myself against, to see where our separate journeys had taken us. To see who was the better. We made a promise after all.

"Let's see if you can."

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**(Ash)**

"I won't. It's..." I stopped as the memory flashed through my mind.

**Flashback**

"Do you really have to leave?" I didn't want to be selfish. Leaf would often harp on me that in my enthusiasm I didn't realize that I would only have sight for my own wishes. It was hard to do though. And even more so now. For the first time I had felt really good about living in Pallet. I had found a friend that shared my love for Pokémon and the drive to learn all there was and more. She did not ridicule me for my often overflowing enthusiasm but readily supported and shared it.

And now she was ready to leave. A small travelling bag around her shoulders, the Pokéball with her first Pokémon proudly in one hand. Leaf's eyes were sparkling with excitement, anticipation for the adventures to come... While I was still stuck here. Damn that stupid age regulation. Just because we were one year apart we couldn't go together. Couldn't she just... No, I was being selfish again, I reminded myself sharply.

Leaf smiled at me and I winced at the note of wistfulness. I was never good at reading people or that emotional stuff. However, with her I could always just tell. How could I think this was any less hard for her? We shared not only our love for Pokémon but the same dream. To reach the top. Preventing her to go, would be like saying both of our dreams were useless.

"I think its best this way." Her words surprised me a little but I bit back a snappy comment. "We both need to go our own ways. We have the same goal, so eventually we will be rivals." Of course I knew this. Although I honestly had never wanted to think about it like this. "I plan to become a Master. Think you can catch up?"

That got my competitive spirit riled right away. As always she just knew what buttons to push. "Hah. I'll have caught up in no time."

"Good. When you do, we can see who is the better Trainer." My confusion must have been pretty evident. Leaf was still smiling but her eyes were dead serious. There was something I couldn't define and it touched my soul, finding a resonance I didn't even know was there. "I really want to fight you someday, Ash. I want to see how far we have both come. It will be a battle, I'm sure, we will both never forget." At this her expression softened and I was awed by the affection and respect. This wasn't like my quasi rivalry with Gary. This was something much deeper. Something much purer.

Finally I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced back my tears. After those words I had to be strong. "Count on it. I will be there."

Leaf held out her free hand, pinky extended. "Promise?"

**End Flashback**

"It's a promise," I said, both in memory of this parting scene all these years ago and to Dawn as well. Last night had given me enough resolve for this fight already but now there was not even a grain of doubt left. I understood now. And with that understanding came acceptance. Acceptance and anticipation. This battle was truly so much more than just winning the tournament. This battle was the moment Leaf and I had worked so hard for over the last years.

Stepping out was like leaving one world for another in an instant. Light and heat replaced the dark and cool corridor. The noise of the crowd assassinated the silence in an instant. Stepping onto the platform, I allowed it to wash over me, drawing further strength from the atmosphere. This was my moment.

My eyes caught the profile of my opponent. I knew the illusion of her – however it might be crafted – was up in the VIP box. Any doubt had long been erased. Now, however, I could feel her presence. "Just one thing before we start. Would you drop the disguise already, Leaf. It looks totally silly."

She did so with a grin and a shrug. "Better?"

I ignored the sudden quiet of the audience. My focus was solely on the girl across from me in the other Trainer box. It made it easier to talk though. "Much."

There were a lot of things I wanted to say, wanted to ask. None of them mattered now. Only one thing was important, even if more for a confirmation than an answer. "There's just one thing I need to know before we start. Why did you go to all this trouble just to fight me like this?"

"Several reasons actually, some of them I cannot tell you yet. So I just stick with my original one." So there was more. Something important enough for her to play around with me instead of just making her intent clear. Leaf had always been a direct person. Playful, artistic at times, always with a need to perform – I sometimes wondered why she never participated in Contests. This disguise and secrecy thing didn't really suit her. She was right though, this was not the place to delve further into whatever motivated her.

"When you called me about trying out my training program, I had no doubt that you could pull it off and that it would be unlikely anyone could defeat you here. However, that wouldn't really tell either me or you just how successful your training was and if you were really ready for the big League. With the disguise I could enter the tournament and see if there was someone ready to compete equally with you. If that had been the case, I could have bowed out without anyone the wiser and you would still have your challenge. That didn't happen though."

This I could understand. It made a certain sense. I still would have preferred she would just tell me. She obviously wasn't surprised I knew. "You are not sad about this outcome though, right?" I answered, seeing that she obviously wanted me to say it, wanted to see if I remembered. "We did promise each other after all."

Once again there was a smirk, full of the playfully taunting humor that I had actually missed. "It just took you longer than you said."

For a moment I responded in kind but did not allow her to rile me up and thus throw me of my game before we even began. That was one thing I had changed from the boy she had known back in Pallet. The process had been slow and only recently I had found this inner peace. Without Dawn I doubted I could have ever fully taken that step into maturity for many more years.

"I am here now," I said seriously and took out my first Pokéball. The crowd, the stadium. Everything had disappeared. What remained was just me and my opponent, my friend, my sister... my rival. The final hurdle to take. "And I intend to win."

"Good." Leaf also took her first Pokéball.

I had built up bonds of sorts with opponents before. So much was expressed during a battle with a worthy adversary that couldn't be put into words. Leaf and I already had a strong connection to begin with. This would an experience unlike anything I had ever faced before.

"Let's see if you can." I had to. I would not be denied again today.

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**(Narrator)**

"What a shocking twist of events! The mysterious Phantom turns out to be none other than repeated League Champion Leaf, who was to officially don the title of Pokémon Master after the tournament." Yeah, right. Surprise. Not for those that counted, I thought at the commentator.

"I have just received word that all of this has been sanctioned and declared legal, in full knowledge of the officials in charge. This battle will therefore commence." The crowd actually cheered at that. Everyone had come anticipating a spectacular matchup after all and didn't want to see it denied because of a rule transgression.

"Not only that but it seems this final has also become quite personal. Both of these Trainers have the distant Pallet Town in the Kanto region listed as the starting point of their journey. It is obvious this is also a battle between friends." Of course, the audience ate such sappy stories. Almost none of them had an idea how the two down there really felt.

It didn't matter to either of them what was happening around them. Fiercely concentrated, the two opposing Trainers stood on opposite sides within their raised platform, waiting for the signal to start the battle. I felt almost humbled to speak about such a scene.

"Finally the day has arrived. Ash has made it past all hurdles towards the final of the Sinnoh League Conference. His opponent is none other than his best friend from childhood days, unofficial Pokémon Master Leaf. Ash is determined, however. This will not stop him. Driven by the promise made with Leaf and the support and love of Dawn, he is ready to face this final challenge. Whether or not he can really prevail, you will see... in the next episode."

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**Author's Notes**

Cut. Phew, finally. I'm sorry it took so long. Partly it was work but for the most part a lack of inspiration. I didn't really know how to get this episode in between matches going at first and then ended stuck on various scenes again and again. For the moment I am more or less satisfied. Many things feel a little... uninspired, not quite how I wanted them. It's quite possible this episode will undergo some revision at a later point but I really want to move on for now. It is at least passable, if not perfect.

First of all, reviews. Thanks to everyone who has sent their thoughts on the last chapter. I am glad the overall response to the Ash VS Paul battle was good. No, Reckutx, one thing I can safely say is that it is not Darkrai, sorry. And it won't be used in the final battle. My rule: no legendaries in the tournament.

mercenaryflyer: Sorry to disappoint but I'm not going to change my style. That's one thing I'm not going to touch and sets me apart from other common styles. Third person view and a more normal first person approach you can find aplenty. I admit my changes are a bit more in number than usual compared to past stories. This, however, is always in relation to the number of characters available whose minds I want to get into. You should have noticed that I am setting priorities. As such Ash and Dawn are getting a lot more screen time while others only get one segment. Thus, keep in mind that while I am jumping a lot, there are really only a few characters from whose POV I'm writing each chapter. I've been doing this style for years and have no intention of changing it because it simply suits me best.

The love confession. Honestly? This wasn't planned. I really wanted to put it after the match or a later point. I had planned a little more flashback for Ash and Leaf but the scene literally evolved on its own and just fit right there. Admitted, the confession was long overdue and there was only so much circling around the subject that had been more or less clear on both ends that I could do. So I kept it there. In fact that might have been one of the parts that flowed best compared to the bumpy feel the episode had to me many times. I hope I did justice to their relationship, even if it was unplanned this way. There'll be more progression in the next story arc.

Yes, Dawn was having a dream. A prophetic dream? Most likely... ok, come on, what good author does something like that without purpose? Just a little buildup for things to come like other aspects scattered throughout this arc.

That should be all for now. I nearly hit the 10000 words mark with this. Has been awhile since I managed to do so with a single episode. Considering I didn't even plan for this bridging episode to take this long... Anyway, next episode will be the long anticipated final. I warn you now already, I'll probably have to split it in two, so be prepared to be left with a nasty cliffhanger. *chuckles*

Feedback please, after taking so long with this, I shall consume your comments greedily.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	7. 0106: Ash VS Leaf! Part 1

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: First Arc, Sixth Episode

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**(Narrator)**

"Trainers, are you ready?" the referee asked needlessly of the two opposing finalists. Both young Trainers already had their first Pokéball out, clutched tightly and ready to be thrown. Looking close enough, you could see the fiery concentration, the intense focus only for their opponent and the battle ahead. You could truly not get more ready.

"In the green corner: From Pallet Town, Kanto. League Champion of Kanto and Johto and holder of various other titles, Junior Pokémon Master... Melanie "Leaf" Greenday!" The crowd roared at this. They had gotten quickly over their shock, the personal level the match had taken and the participation of an already acknowledged Champion had only intensified the hype.

"In the red corner: Also from Pallet Town, Kanto. Orange Isles Champion and Kanto Battle Frontier victor, final rounds participants in Kanto, Johto and Hoenn... Ash Ketchum!" Ash had garnered quite a fan base throughout the tournament and the answering cheer was easily as thunderous as for his opponent.

"This is a 6 VS 6 battle, the Trainers may switch Pokémon whenever they like. If a victory is scored, the winner may choose to change the battlefield. If a draw occurs, the Trainer who won the battle before retains the right to change the field. Trainers, at your ready!" The referee lifted both flags. Ash and Leaf both tensed up, the crowd edged forward in their seats – if they were even seated that was.

"At the end of a long road, it is finally here. Will Ash's dream be realized? Or will it shatter against the will of his old childhood friend?" I mused to the viewers... err, readers.

"The final round of this year's Sinnoh League Battle Conference... Begin!"

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**Opening Theme (Dream Wing, Mai-Otome 1st Opening)**

On the backdrop of the Sinnoh region map, Ash appears on the left, then Dawn on the right, then quickly between them Brock, Pikachu and Piplup. The logo appears behind them.

_Mitsuketa no dream_

_dokidoki ga tomaranai_

Ash sits on a boulder, his badge case in his lap. He is deep in thought, then looks up and we see a stadium, the view quickly zooming up to the fire ignited on top.

_MEISTER DREAM_

The scene flawlessly continues into a shot of the Grand Festival trophy, then quickly fades out to show a stage...

_umaretano takaramono_

_mune ippai ni kirameki hajimeru_

Before finding Dawn, sitting in a field of flowers. She has been looking up similar as Ash, but now looks down and places a hand over her heart, a soft smile on her face.

_doushite konna ni fuan ni naru no kana_

_kakae kirenai omoi_

_namida koboreru kedo..._

The screen splits showing Ash and Dawn running towards the image of the stadium/stage separately. They each reach out with their left/right hand but can't reach it. They become aware of each other then and this time both reach out with the other hand, clasping them together before jumping forward. The scene flashes white.

_kitto itsuka tadori tsukeru yo_

_tsumadzui tatte akiramenai_

Ash is in the middle of an arena, face serious, pointing forward. Pikachu jumps forward sparks flying. Quick shift through Ash's Sinnoh team fighting. Gabite fires off a Draco Meteor. From the burst emerges Buizel zipping by in an Aqua Jet, followed by Staraptor crossing paths in a diving attack. Torterra drops into the screen and lets loose with a hailstorm of leaves, out of which Infernape comes blazing and bathed in fire. He is joined by Pikachu running along with Volt Tackle.

_yuuki dashite mae ni susumou_

Dawn is in the stands, cheering them on along with Piplup. Brock is next to her a little reserved but also cheering. Ash is meanwhile facing off with Leaf. A Pokémon – it cannot be seen which – is sending out a blast of black energy.

_chiisana ippo fumi daseba_

_hora ne, atarashii watashi_

Pikachu burst forth, wrapped in a cloak of lightning. Ash looks on grim, a little helpless. A transparent image of Dawn appears behind him and gives him a huge. Ash balls his fist and takes a step forward. Pikachu bursts out of the black beam. The screen shifts one last time, Pikachu streaking in between Ash and Dawn standing arm in arm. Ash has a confident grin on his face and Dawn is smiling happily.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

First Arc: Breaking the Limit

Episode 6: Beginning of the End or End of the Beginning? Ash VS Leaf!

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**(Dawn)**

I barely managed to make it up to the box in time. I had heard the announcement, of course, but at this point there really wasn't any surprise left. Still, seeing Leaf out there in the arena was different. Especially considering there was still one sitting in her usual place!

"Are you going to stay like this?" I asked without looking, concentrating on the field and wincing internally as the first matchup was obvious. Ash had decided to start with Torterra, an unusual move on the part of someone who preferred quick offense to tanks. Then again, Ash was known to frequently surprise opponents by changing and adapting as the situation called for it. Leaf's first Pokémon could be a problem though. Honchrow was a Flying type and as such had an edge over Torterra. At this level of training, even small advantages could become decisive.

"I don't think you have time to concern yourself with me," the Leaf-lookalike replied, aiming right at my own thoughts. And she probably was right. Whoever or whatever she was, my attention was already rooted to the center of the arena where Ash's and Leaf's Pokémon were squaring off. Honchcrow had immediately launched into a flurry of attacks. The speed was high but not to a degree where it would be impossible to follow. Torterra had experience with fast and flying opponents from many practice battles with Staraptor or my Togekiss. Despite elemental weakness it stood strong against the assault of Air Cutters, all but daring Honchrow to move in.

"I'm not worried," I stated my thoughts as I sat down next to Brock. "Wouldn't be the first time Ash has turned a type advantage around."

Honchcrow had also been unimpressed by the few counters so far. Nimbly it had evaded a Leaf Storm, some vine attacks and an Energy Ball thrown its way. The timing had been perfect on Ash's part but he didn't seem too disappointed. Right now both were testing out the other. The real fight would only begin once Honchrow began to close the distance. That was a double-edged sword. On the one hand Torterra would be more dangerous with the opponent up close but Honchcrow was primarily a physical-orientated Pokémon and would need the contact to really deal damage.

Apparently I wasn't the only one that came to this conclusion. "It could go either way," Cynthia remarked. "Honchcrow is strong with direct attacks while Torterra has superior defense in that regard. Honchcrow is faster and has the type advantage, while Torterra has a lot of endurance. It all comes down to strategy and timing."

That pretty much summed up the situation. The testing phase was all but over. Soon enough the real battle would begin and I anticipated the exchange to be as furious as it was brief. It was in Leaf's best interest to force a decisive strike fast. The longer this dragged out, the more Torterra would get the upper hand. That would open the chance for a counter. The result would depend, as Cynthia had pointed out already, largely on timing.

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**(Ash)**

I hated waiting. The fact that I got used to being more calm and patient, didn't mean I suddenly liked watching attack after attack raining down on my Pokémon. So far, I wasn't terrible worried though, In my opinion, if Leaf had started out with a Fire type or even worse an Ice type, we would be in a lot more trouble. Fliers Torterra knew how to handle and were easier to defend against than hazardous elements like Fire and Ice. There was only so much resistance you could teach a Grass type against Fire, and Ice was extra effective because of Torterra's Ground subtype.

All I needed now was to wait for an opportunity to bring Torterra's raw power into play. If I could do that, the type difference would hardly matter. Leaf was good at playing the waiting game though, she wanted to wear my Pokémon down some more before closing in and at the same time probably counted on me getting impatient. It was time for something drastic.

"Torterra, Synthesis." While technically a sound idea, Torterra had hardly taken enough damage to warrant healing at this point and it left him open for attack while performing the move. It was a dare and I hoped Leaf wouldn't resist. No, she couldn't pass it up. Allowing the healing would make any small progress void.

"Tailwind, then close in with Wing Attack!" I smiled thinly. Honchcrow was quick to respond and three seconds later literally phased forward, the extra boost in speed bringing it easily into the realms I was used to from my best Pokémon. So was Torterra. I did not need to announce the attack and that made it even more unpredictable and hard for the crow to avoid the sudden wooden barrier formed from Torterra's vines literally jumping out of the ground into his opponent's path. Honchcrow barely managed to avoid a full-on collision but got one wing scraped in the process.

I allowed myself a small smirk in satisfaction at seeing actual surprise in Leaf's face. The Synthesis had been mostly a feint. Torterra hadn't been focusing on the move and it probably hadn't healed anything – and didn't really need to – but served as cover for setting up the vines underground. And a lot more. I snapped my attention back to the battle, knowing I had to capitalize now or lose the momentum. "Rock Slide!"

"Get out of there!" Leaf countered in response, Honchcrow desperately moving to avoid the rocks hurled at it. It was clearly off-balance and that was all I needed right now. The attack was another distraction, of course. However, even if Leaf knew, taking the damage wasn't an option either.

"Now!" I commanded and the rest of the vines hiding underground erupted and snared up Honchcrow before it could get out of range. "Razor Storm!"

"Push free with Night Slash and counter with Air Cutter!" I had to give it to Leaf, she wasn't making it easy. Honchcrow ripped free of its constraints with a mighty effort but Torterra had already powered up his attack and the feeble counter was hardly enough to do anything against the hailstorm of razor-sharp leaves. I could definitely see that Leaf's Pokémon had the same kind of stamina mine had from the training as it endured the barrage much longer than one would expect even of a Flying type. In the end, the result was unavoidable. The moment it got caught in the attack sealed its fate.

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**(Leaf)**

"You did good, Snatch," I said while recalling Honchcrow. Glancing over at Ash I resisted a comment. I had taken to some psychological tactics in the past, mainly by taunting opponents until they lost their cool but I hadn't done so under the guise of Phantom and wouldn't start with it now. Ash deserved better and I doubted he would fall for it. His concentration hadn't slipped in the slightest and that was quite impressive. Many Trainers, regardless of how much experience they had, would show some elation at taking the first win in a bad matchup. Instead of doing that, Ash knew better. This was just the beginning. And oh was he right.

Snatch was one my relatively new Pokémon. The only reason I brought her first was because I expected my old friend to start off differently. Certainly not with his only real Tank. Snatch wasn't the most powerful but being my Hazer, she was a good choice to react to anything Ash would bring out and annoy him a great deal. How ironic that Torterra despite the type advantage was perhaps the most problematic matchup. Still, that didn't minimize the outcome. Ash's strategy and timing had been flawless.

"I hope you are ready," I said at last – as much to Ash as my Pokémon – and drew out my next Pokéball, throwing it up in a flawless motion. "Berserker!" Out popped Tyranitar in all its shining glory – in the literal sense. Golden scales covered almost the entire body, just a tiny hint of purple showing in the chest area. The Shiny Pokémon let out a deafening roar, signaling his readiness for battle – a more or less constant state – whipping up a sandstorm when his innate Ability kicked in. Now, Torterra was part Ground and as such immune to the effect but all we really needed was the invisibility.

"Hey, Leaf, is that supposed to be a theme?!" Ash called over the wind. "I hope you aren't taking it easy on me by just using a single main type!" I smiled at the comment, hearing the teasing nature in it. There was no need for an accusation. This was a battle after all that we had both been working towards. There were several reasons for using this team consisting mainly of Dark types. Mostly because I had always wanted to. Also I knew that Ash had few decent counters. His only halfway Fighting type was Infernape and he had not a single Bug type in his lineup. On the other hand he had no Psychic or Ghost types either to take advantage of. This would make the battles much more contests of skill rather than type.

"If I were you, I'd better _watch_ out..." Every one of my Pokémon had my utmost trust and Ash would soon learn that such comments, even if said in jest, would be hard to swallow once I was done with him. "Berserker, Screech, then charge!"

Berserker was one of my three most powerful Pokémon. There was a lot more special about him other than his shiny color. And Ash would soon learn why. With thundering steps Berserker was charging towards Torterra while letting out an ear-piercing screech. The torrent of leaves rushing his way was expected and while I respected the power of that attack variation, it would not be so easy this time.

"Protect!" And then, while still running straight at his opponent, Berserker generated a protective barrier intercepting the assault. Ash called for Torterra to stop my Pokémon with his vines but a combination of Dragon Claw and Iron Head had Berserker still surging forward and already in striking distance. Ash was taken aback by the relentless charge, nothing able to stop the armored Pokémon.

"Energy Ball!" I had to give it to Ash that he still had the sense to try and salvage the situation. At this close distance the attack struck true but Berserker shrugged it off and countered with a Payback that send his opponent staggering a step back.

"Ice Fang!" The bad thing about a Pokémon as big as Torterra was that it presented a lot of targeting space. Off-balance from the previous attack, powerful fangs had an easy time to lodge into flesh, causing a howl of pain from the Grass/Ground type as the Ice-type attack was extremely effective and almost instantly causing some frostbite as well.

I had no intention of giving Ash even the tiniest chance of recovery though. "Now, Fire Fang!" Torterra roared again as his Trainer looked on it disbelief and slight helplessness. Going from hazardous frost to searing heat on the same spot, Torterra was no doubt unable to focus properly. Tyranitar's raw strength was enough to make it an extremely dangerous Pokémon. But his vast move pool, made Berserker an absolute raw face of nature... literally. "Finish it with Thrash!"

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**(Brock)**

"That was fast," I commented, summing up the thoughts of all present. As impressive as Ash's first win was, the sheer force that Leaf's Tyranitar had unleashed was fearsome. Torterra was by far no slouch. Being a Trainer who had for a long time, and still to some degree, specialized in Rock-type Pokémon, I could appreciate a good tank. And I didn't mean that Tyranitar with that, not at first. Torterra had already been resilient and persistent as a Turtwig. The battle with Honchcrow had just reminded me of that. As such the choice Leaf had made next had stupefied me. Even I would have thought twice about such a matchup if I had other options. And I knew of at least one she had shown so far.

_That just goes to show more that I should stop underestimating that girl_, I thought. I had tried making some sense out of her before she dropped her mask and my impression had been of someone who made calculated and effective decisions. Of course, that had all been a mask, so how much of that was really her true fighting style, I had no idea. I wished Ash and Dawn had let me in on their suspicions. I wanted to help, damn it. I was really starting to feel a little left out...

Shaking my head, I pushed aside the dark thought. They had every right to behave like this. Freshly in love and all. It was quite obvious something happened yesterday. That they would get a little absorbed in each other was normal. Maybe I was just a little envious.

But, back to the battle. Tyranitar had hardly been slowed down by anything Torterra had thrown at it. And then the moves shown so far... "That's an interesting move combination," I mused. "I counted at least seven attacks in that one charge. Does that mean it..." I left the sentence hanging.

"Not necessarily," Cynthia made me jump slightly. She had been watching the battle intently and had not said a word since the beginning of the match. "The Limit Break isn't primarily responsible for learning an infinite amount of attacks. The attack limitation is not as static as some say. Usually the higher a Pokémon's intelligence, the more attacks it can learn. The only thing a Limit Break really does is allow the Pokémon to remember and instinctively use attacks they can learn naturally. There still is a limit on those moves that are being taught. The upper limit of four comes from this as it is about the highest amount average of moves one can learn through training. As with everything, there are exceptions though."

She paused to let the information sink in. Ash had meanwhile called out Gabite, a decent choice for this battle but I wondered if the difference in experience wasn't too big with regards to what Cynthia was just implying. Leaf had also had the battlefield changed to a stone field littered with rocks. "I admit though," she said again. "Tyranitar are not known for their high intelligence. While they can learn many different moves, so many diverse elemental attacks are uncommon."

"You speak as if you haven't seen her fight before," Dawn interjected and I had to agree on that point. Leaf was about to officially take her title, surely Cynthia as reigning Champion knew more about her team than anyone else.

Cynthia chuckled slightly. "Not with this team. I know the lineup, yes. But I have seen very little of them with one exception. Leaf wanted to try this team out badly. I have a feeling though she might have wanted to keep it a secret before the Master League. Ah, here comes her true ace."

I snapped my gaze back towards the field. Leaf had actually switched out Tyranitar which I found a little odd. In its place was now an Umbreon. I vaguely recalled what little Ash had told us about his childhood friend. Most notably was the story how instead of choosing one of the normal starters in Kanto, she had set out with an Eevee... Which would mean this was her first Pokémon now.

It seemed that after the supposedly good start, Ash was getting the third degree now. I hoped he had an answer ready or he might find himself in serious trouble soon.

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**(Ash)**

This wasn't good. I knew right away that I was in trouble. That Umbreon was practically oozing power. It was a feeling similar to what I had gotten used to from Pikachu. A quiet certainty, a large but justified confidence and a sense of raw energy so great it was almost tangible even to those that had no psychic abilities. This was the best way I could describe it.

No surprise there. I still remembered vividly the day when Leaf had come back with her first Pokémon. For one thing because of the sad departure still fresh in my mind after recalling our promise, but also for the surprise at seeing her not with either of the three starters. Leaf had explained that she could have had a free choice... but then she had seen the young Eevee, barely old enough to not be called a baby anymore. She had said then that she couldn't explain, that it felt just right to take the inexperienced young Eevee even if it might make things harder for her at the beginning. Of course, Leaf had laughed off this part. She had always liked a good challenge at hard odds.

I needed to see for myself though. There was no doubt that this Umbreon had to be her Eevee but I had honestly no clue about what it could do. The database on the island here was limited to participating Trainers and since Leaf had hid her identity, she hadn't been officially registered under her name. I seriously wished now that I had seen some of her earlier tournaments but the dates had often overlapped with my own.

"Careful, Gabite. Let's start out with Dragon Pulse." I almost expected Umbreon to easily evade the blast but it simply staid in place and took the attack full force. I frowned at the lack of reaction. There wasn't even a flinch. Even the remains of the Sandstorm conjured by Tyranitar didn't seem to bother Umbreon. I obviously had to take more drastic measures to get a reaction. "Dragon Claw! But keep your guard up." Not that I needed to say that. All my Pokémon were aware that in this battle the slightest mistake would decide loss or victory. Watching Gabite rush in, I already planned what Pokémon to send in next. The difference in experience was obvious and leaving Gabite in the battle for more than testing out the opponent was not advisable.

Umbreon had patiently waited for the attack and at the last moment, slipped below the strike in a graceful move that came so sudden that Gabite overshot and lost his balance. "Shadow, Mean Look." I winced when Leaf called out the move. So this had been her plan. Trapping my least experienced Pokémon against her most experienced. Months ago this might have thrown me off but I had learned to not lament the flow of a battle. There would always be surprises, especially against strong opponents. Expecting everything to go as you planned was foolish.

Shifting tactics, I resigned myself to a hard trial. Even if Gabite might not win this one, I would make sure a victory would cost Leaf dearly. "Jump, then come in with Rock Smash!" Gabite wasn't exactly used to using his wings yet. In fact Gabites couldn't really fly for long but it was enough to give him quite some aerial time and come in with even harder force. I was glad we had been training Rock Smash to balance out my lack in this area. Unfortunately it never came to this.

I was glad that I had briefly looked over to Leaf and saw her smirk, that gave me a small warning. "Toxic."

My eyes widened and I had to react quickly. Unfortunately I realized that I had unknowingly made a big mistake. Gabite had little maneuverability in the air. Barely any at all. "Dragon Pulse to the ground!" I hoped the force would be enough to alter his course but it was too little too late. The strong poison hit Gabite full on. "Gabite!" I called out at his wince but quickly railed in my emotions. I had precious little time left as it was. "Dig, then up with Brick Break!"

Gabite turned his already disrupted dive straight down and tunneled underground. Leaf was once more prepared though. Just as Gabite emerged with a roar, Umbreon performed a Double Team. There wasn't even a command this time – which didn't surprise me. I gritted my teeth at seeing the poison slowly seeping away at Gabite's health, steadily becoming more potent. Leaf wasn't done though. "Baton Pass."

This was quickly turning into a disaster as Umbreon returned to its Pokéball and Tyranitar took its place once again, earning the effects of Mean Look as well as the slight evasion boost from the Double Team.

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**(Leaf)**

I both loved and hated this kind of strategy. On one hand, it was extremely effective against pretty much any opponent who didn't have any means to either heal their status or force a switch to get out of the entrapment. On the other hand, such methods left a bitter taste. Still, this was a Pokémon battle and this was tactic. A tactic that made full use of Shadow's traits. Strong defense, high standing power. The outward appearance could fool but she was definitely a tank. As such raw power was not her strongest suit. An indirect damage move set went more in tune with an Umbreon.

If Ash didn't understand that, he would learn the hard way. It was honestly not a fair fight to begin with. Shadow could have won without the switch but I wanted to keep some surprises for later. No doubt I would need her at top strength for Pikachu. Weakened as it was by the constantly draining poison, Gabite stood even less of a chance against Berserker. Without it, I wouldn't put it beyond Ash to pull out a surprise. Now though, Berserker was all over the poor dragon with a barrage of attacks too many to keep track off.

That was my Tyranitar's most useful ability. To learn so many attacks outside of natural order was almost unheard off, even for a Pokémon that had broken their limit. Berserker had already had an outstanding move pool before I caught it and had put up a huge fight. Under my tutelage, it only got better.

One might say I was being too wasteful with revealing the ability by showing of his Strength move that caught Gabite blindsided and smashed it into the opposite side of the field, then using it to amplify the force with which Berserker was hauling rocks via Rock Slide – that was partly why I had chosen the field – at the downed Gabite who could barely fend off the attacks. Ash wasn't even getting to counterattack and the poison had almost done its job.

I might have refrained from using verbal psychology but breaking my opponent's confidence was never part of that resolve. Showing off the overwhelming power and versatility of Berserker was bound to discourage an opponent. Hell, it would drive all but those with the strongest will to despair. I knew Ash fell into that last category, now it was the time he showed it or this would be as far as he got today. I was curious how he would react.

Not anymore in this battle though. Gabite was on its last breath. The Toxic had reached a level where its health was drained drastically each time. One or two more and even all the endurance training in the world wouldn't help it. Time to put an end to this. Gabite had fought well against the overwhelming odds, the least I could do was to give it a proper finish. Waiting out for another desperate attack rush – to give credit to Ash he had no other choices left – I had Gabite's Brick Break countered with Berserker's own, locking the two Pokémon in a faceoff... or more like leaving Gabite trapped. "Iron Head." Doubling over, the dragon was wide open. "Dragon Claw." I could have used Ice Fang more effectively but Toxic had sometimes a nasty tendency to spread by such direct contact like a bite. The slashing attack was more than enough. In the end it was hard to say what did Gabite in. The attack or the last Toxic drain, however, it didn't get up anymore.

Curiously I looked over to Ash and was pleased to see that he was disappointed, frustrated perhaps, definitely saddened by the damage his Pokémon had taken – as would I. But there was no despair, perhaps some righteous anger that would only fuel his determination more. I had a feeling what he would do next and already planned accordingly.

"Referee, I want a water field." Ash looked at me skeptically but didn't change the Pokéball he had already retrieved, pretty much confirming my idea before his Buizel popped out and headed straight into the water. I suppose it would be daring to keep using Berserker but I wouldn't have chosen a water field then. Recalling him once more, I readied my next choice...

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**(Dawn)**

"You are so quiet, lost your confidence?" the Leaf-imposter teased after the devastating loss of Gabite who – there was no nicer way to put this – got practically rolled over or stomped on as if a bug in the path of a giant.

"Not by a long shot. The battle has just started," I shot back, wondering about the need to reply to someone that wasn't even what she appeared to be with the real thing just down in the arena.

_Come on, Ash_, I thought, trying to squeeze my feelings of support and confidence through our link. I had no idea if that even worked. This wasn't a fantasy romance novel after all but whatever we had it was strong enough that I could feel Ash even from here. And that alone pushed aside my own worry. Ash had not been set back by the last battle. His ironclad will was as strong as over, a little dented maybe, but by far not enough to shake it yet.

"This will be an interesting match," Brock said when Buizel was facing off with Leaf's Sharpedo. Both were all about speed and attack. A somewhat even matchup. I wondered why Leaf had chosen this Pokémon now and even changed the field. With the way Tyranitar had dominated even against Torterra, I doubted it would have to fear a Water type. Leaf could have tried and perhaps achieved to make the lead big enough to give some real worry.

"That girl has always been clever. She can read a battle instinctively and knows when to change tactics to throw an opponent off. Changing to a water field and appropriate Pokémon now when she obviously expected Ash's choice, leaves her to dictate the course of the battle," Cynthia answered my silent question. And while I could follow the logic, I wasn't worried. I had seen firsthand how motivated Buizel was after getting taken out so fast against Paul's Metagross.

The two Pokémon were both trading various fast attacks in combination with employing Aqua Jet, making it a high speed battle mostly underwater. Buizel clearly had an advantage out of the water, which I personally suspected was one of the main reasons for a water field. Sharpedo was extremely fast underwater but Buizel could always escape over the water level if things got too heated. So far they were about evenly matched.

That changed when Sharpedo managed to get in close enough to employ its Crunch attack to one of Buizel's tails, inflicting enough damage to severely limit Buizel's maneuverability under water since he was used to propel himself forward with both his tails.

Ash wouldn't let us wait long for an answer though, playing on Buizel greatest advantage in this matchup. Using a powerful Water Gun as a boost, Buizel evaded a Super Fang and was catapulted out of the water. Instead of going over into an Aqua Jet, Ash once again showed his superiority in dominating the field. I think we were all kind of stunned how Buizel managed to ignore the obvious pain from his injury and use both tails to create a Sonicboom that actually did its name justice, crashing into the water surface with such force, my ears were still ringing by the time Sharpedo shot out of the water in a desperate escape. Leaf had just barely ordered it to and it became obvious why as the Sonicboom was timed well enough that it momentarily caused the water to split and launch up at the sides. For a few precious seconds both Pokémon were in the air and launching into an Aqua Jet...

This time the roles were drastically reversed though. Sharpedo was not a Pokémon that was very useful outside of water. And while Leaf obviously had it go through some midair training, Buizel was the true master in this area. Launching his opponent higher and higher, it almost seemed like Buizel was juggling Sharpedo. Leaf's Pokémon was rather helpless and while the water had already spilled back into the pool, that hardly mattered anymore. An Ice Aqua Jet froze Sharpedo's fins and then a devastating Focus Punch slammed it downwards. I didn't even know Buizel knew that move! And to fully seal the deal another Sonicboom drove right after the falling opponent and managed to catch it just upon contact with the surface, resulting in yet another eruption of water and probably a knocked out Sharpedo even before anyone could see it again.

Satisfied I threw the imposter a grin. "See?"

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**(Leaf)**

Okay, that didn't go quite as planned. I should have known better than to think Ash wouldn't find a way to utilize the field to his advantage even though Hunter did have the upper hand in the water. That was something he had definitely had on me already and I found rather ingenious. The way he could make use of the surroundings was unparalleled and I had seen only very few Trainers who could do similar. Ash would always pull out at least one trick during a battle where a specific battlefield was involved... and sometimes more. Despite having studied it, I had felt confident to keep it from happening which had cost me the advantage that I had worked for with Tyranitar.

"What are you going to do now?" I called over the noise level. While the audience was relatively captivated and knew to stay quiet during a match, there was a lot of exciting moves to be seen today and we had just started warming up after all. I was fairly certain that Ash wouldn't keep Buizel in the fight. The wound to the tail hurt its mobility and thus keeping the water field around would only be a hindrance.

"I request the starting field." Which meant back to basic battlefield, no obtrusion, no hindrance. This battle was quickly becoming one of liked minds. The previous matchup was practically predetermined and what came now was also to be expected unless Ash had another surprise waiting. "I take that challenge," I mumbled. There really was no better way to determine just who was the better one at this point. Most of our "limited" Pokémon were gone. Two each already. At this point none of us would send one of our weaker ones against a much stronger one if it could be helped. "Go, Hellfire."

With a snarl Houndoom took the stage. I wasn't worried about Buizel at all. I doubted that Ash would leave him...

"Water Pulse!"

... or if I would be prepared. "Dark Pulse!" Hellfire countered the water attack with a similar black variant, resulting in a small explosion. What followed was a quick succession of moves that I quickly realized was nothing but a test probe. Buizel came in with a fast Aqua Jet but Hellfire had little trouble evading and casting a first Sunny Day. I waited a moment for the recall and then it didn't come had Hellfire send a Solarbeam barreling towards the Water type who to my astonishment managed to actually twist around the very fast beam and strife my Pokémon with a Focus Punch... only then did Ash recall Buizel.

I was surprised at my friend's boldness, to jeopardize one of his weaker Pokémon like this at this stage... No, I corrected myself. That was doing Buizel injustice. It had shown much more than in the matches before and deserved high appraisal. Not many Pokémon could say to have gotten a quick hit in against Hellfire while she was fresh, especially not when her opponent was clearly tired. Not that the damage was worrying. Ash had scored a psychological point this time, however.

As expected, Infernape quickly took the stage and Ash immediately took advantage of the weather condition. Sending me a brief challenging look which I returned with a confident one of my own, our attacks commands came practically at the same time.

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**(Infernape)**

Right away I knew that this opponent was unlike anyone I had faced before. Ash warned me that this matchup was almost inevitable and had shown me the videos from the semi final again. If I had to make a guess, I would say we were really around the same strength in most areas. Having a slight type advantage didn't mean much on our level of fighting but it also could make the tiny difference if played right.

As such the dual Flamethrower was as much for muscle flexing as it was to see the potency of the other's attack power. I only poured a fair amount of strength into the attack but doubted my opponent was giving it her all either. The resulting heat storm certainly was impressive for the observer but also showed what Ash and I had ascertained already. Houndoom were more balanced in its physical and elemental attack power. The latter was usually a tad stronger and as such in a pure long-range matchup I would not fare too well.

"Close in." I was already moving through the residue heat, attempting to use it as cover. Out of luck, I found my first punch dodged and barely managed not to get a bite in return before sweeping low with a kick that unbalanced my opponent. "Flame Wheel!" Turning my motion right into a spin, I quickly picked up speed, knowing that if I was going to do damage I had to do so with physical force rather than with fire.

"Counter with Fire Fang." My upward momentum was suddenly stopped and I struggled in disbelief against the hard and unrelenting jaws of my opponent. It didn't really hurt but... "Dark Pulse!" Exactly. I had nowhere to go. In fact I couldn't even move until I was forcefully ejected. I tried to slow down my fall but the attack had hit me at point blank and before I could shake off the pain, I crashed onto the arena floor, barely managing a hard roll that left my body wincing from the strain. Thankfully Dark-type attacks didn't do very much to me, however, I didn't feel like repeating the experience.

"Catch it when it comes down!" Gritting my teeth, I did my best to ignore the lingering pain. The anger at being thrown around like this helped the focus and I cocked back my fist, focusing fire into it while I waited as Houndoom descended from the air.

"Hellfire, use Will-o-Wisp." Blinking in confusion, I wondered about the use of that move in such a situation and against me as an opponent. There was no time to think about it as Houndoom was just entering my reach. Pushing off the ground, I laid full strength into the flaming uppercut... just as the seemingly wasted attack from before struck... my opponent. For a moment I was baffled but then my eyes widened. I would have cursed and probably stopped but I was already committed, striking the falling dog with a severe uppercut. Houndoom was thrown a good distance away but came down on all fours relatively unscathed.

In fact, it was probably more healthy than before. Ash and I had gone over Houndoom's data and as such I remembered its Ability. One of the two possible ones at least, the one which right now was the worst case scenario. Flash Fire not only increased a Fire types Fire moves but also served to absorb such moves to heal the user.

"Our turn, Flamethrower!" Given no time to think about the development, I was forced to jump away, cursing when I saw how big the attack had become... and Houndoom was sweeping her head around in an arc!

"Flame Wheel, push through it!" A little weary after the last use of the move, I still trusted my Trainer and cut through the flame from the side. Even the short time spent in the enhanced heat was making it clear that right now I wouldn't win this match by seeing who got the stronger flame. "Follow it up with Blaze Kick!" Smirking at the surprise from my opponent and her Trainer, I shifted upon landing and immediately sped towards Houndoom.

Where most Trainers would have panicked and tried to rely on non-Fire-type attacks only, Ash knew me too well. With a yell, I struck out at my baffled opponent...

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**(Ash)**

Part of me wished I had found a way to teach Infernape Role Play. That would have really helped right now. Of course, I knew that the possibility existed that Houndoom had Flash Fire as its natural Ability but there was little else I could do about it. Buizel had fought really well and might have actually prevailed longer, however, the fight had been exhausting and damaging. And this move set was rather hazardous for a Water type as well. Sunny Day, Solarbeam and then an obvious Limit break. Pikachu might be able to deal better in this situation but I needed him for the end. Even the brief appearance of Umbreon had shown me that much.

Leaf's strategy so far had been perfect. The use of Will-o-Wisp in such a way was brilliant. Before that Infernape had the advantage. Both would do little with Fire-type attacks and both could profit from Sunny Day. Infernape's Fighting type was superior to Houndoom's Dark type though and that Solarbeam wouldn't real help Leaf's Pokémon either. With Sunny Day and Flash Fire Houndoom suddenly had upped the damaging potential of its own fire while severely limiting Infernape. He was used to employing his martial arts augmented with fire. It was so much internalized that trying not to do it would only throw Infernape off.

Which was why I didn't even try. Infernape still had the speed advantage. Sure the fire as it struck at his opponent in a flurry of moves hard to follow was actually healing Houndoom but most of Infernape's moves were actually dual based and the real power behind it came from his Fighting-type power with Fire merely giving an extra damage boost. That boost would now dampen the effect but not completely erase it. Since both Pokémon had broken their natural limit the advantages of that were equalized again. There was no point in concerning myself about a problem I couldn't really do anything about.

The battle had erupted into a close quarter slug fest and in that Infernape had the upper hand. Yet, his opponent was holding up much better than most others would. This was a battle of equals. Landing a Blaze Kick that lifted Houndoom clear off its feet, the dog struck out with its hind legs, catching Infernape hard under the chin before using the contact to flip over and letting loose with another Flamethrower. A quick glance showed me that the Sunny Day was waning and that meant it was almost time. There was still one ace I had left to play. "Do it now!"

Infernape quickly dived under the Flamethrower and dug into the ground, covering the short distance almost instantly and coming up with a Fire Punch. Houndoom actually dodged. Infernape's undaunted assault had obviously made it wary despite Flash Fire. That was what I counted on because it didn't pay attention to the second fist bathed in a pale blue. "Liquid Punch!"

Houndoom was driven back with a cry. Limit Break might give it a better resistance to water but it clearly wasn't expecting this. Infernape had taken elemental training to a new level when we came up with this attack. The principle behind it was to first learn Ice Punch, something naturally hard for Infernape but not impossible. After that the formed ice had to be heated until it liquefied to create water, superheated water. Much as I expected the attack was not absorbed by Flash Fire.

Both Pokémon were panting now. Infernape had dealt a lot of damage but the conditions had made sure it took a lot more effort. Both attacking and dodging at this high speed were exhausting. The next clash would probably decide it. Both Pokémon were now facing off, waiting for the defining moment. When, in a burst of flames, Infernape's Blaze kicked in, that was the unspoken signal for the final push.

"This is it! Give it everything you have," Leaf called out with a sudden burst of excitement that I could understand. This battle was really getting my adrenaline pumping and I caught myself several times wanting to jump down and participate, as stupid as that might be. "Overheat!"

"Break through, Flare Blitz!"

The Sunny Day effect was all but gone but that didn't lessen the spectacular show when Infernape's fire-clad form crashed against the enormous fiery blast. With his unwavering fighting spirit, Infernape surged forward through the heat, using the attack that was usual kind of a finishing move as a boost and finally jumped up the last distance, both arms flashing with liquid fire. The first hit came lead in with a Mach Punch and drove Houndoom down, preparing to end it with the second...

"Thunder Fang!" In an impossible seeming show of willpower, Houndoom managed to lift its head and catch Infernape's second fist with its jaw. There was a strong spark and then a small explosion. I winced hearing my Pokémon's cry of pain, already guessing what happened.

When the smoke cleared both Pokémon were out cold.

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**(Pikachu)**

Being an Electric type I had realized instantly what was going on and I believe Ash had as well. Unfortunately at such close range there was nothing to be done about it. Normally, lightning wouldn't do that much to Infernape. Heck, we sparred often enough that he should be used to much worse. However, that technique of his left him with something to conduct the electricity. With the Thunder Fang inserted directly into the liquefied fist, Infernape got himself quite a nasty shock.

That didn't entirely stop the attack but it made sure that both got hit hard, resulting in this double knockout. Glancing over to the other side I couldn't help but think that Ash's old friend was actually fairly satisfied with the outcome. I could see why as well. With Infernape out of the fight and Buizel still needing time to recover from his fight, the options to take down Tyranitar who had once more been sent out were getting slim to none. Leaf hadn't even waited if Ash wanted a field change, confident enough that her "tank" – and that was more than a figurative term – could further demolish our team.

"Pika," I looked up to Ash, seeing him deep in thought. I couldn't detect any concern, but then again... he hadn't been fazed by anything since starting this battle. Dawn had really done wonders for him. Still, I could sense the tension. That was normal enough for an important battle like that. The intense focus, the concentration needed to be ready to react to anything possible to imagine and then some in an instant. He was debating how to proceed right now. "Pikachu, Pi! (Let me go!)"

However, Ash shook his head, his eyes hardening as if coming to a conclusion. "No. You'll need to save your strength for last. We are a team, so we have to trust in everyone." I blinked in shock and a little dread as he withdrew the last Pokéball he had yet to use. Could he be serious? He was, I concluded and then smirked slightly. That was so Ash for you.

It also seemed he clearly had a plan.

"Referee, I want the water field again." Oh yeah, that was going to be interesting. As the ground shifted, Tyranitar suddenly found itself on its own small island, completely enclosed, bereft most of what had made it barrel through Torterra and Gabite before. Not helpless by far. If the attack repertoire so far was any indication I had no trouble believing that even as a standing target it would be extremely dangerous. You know what they say about a cornered wild animal...

"Staraptor, go!" Many would have severely debated that using a Flying type in this situation was close to suicide. Not those that knew Ash and honestly not those in the audience right now. Leaf had just proven how to turn a potentially very bad matchup into a draw. Much like Buizel, Staraptor was also very motivated after her loss against Paul's Electrivire. She had done well then but still lost and compared to this opponent, Electrivire had been at least a few notches below on the totem pole. That had never stopped any of Ash's Pokémon. She could make it. Ash was right. We just had to believe.

"What about it, Leaf? Want to switch?" Ash called over, underlining the dare he had thrown his opponent with words. Both knew it would not happen. Leaf was a lot like Ash in that regard, that much I knew. While both were tactical about this match, this was also a personal fight they both wanted. With every match it had become more heated, more intense. I could feel it from Ash, the connection between those two ignited to burn brighter and brighter still as both tried to overcome the other. Pulling back from a challenge now was almost impossible.

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**(Leaf)**

"Heh, I don't see why I should."

I honestly wasn't sure if Ash was actually brave or desperate. Perhaps a bit of both. Not that I couldn't understand his dilemma. No doubt he had hoped that Infernape would score a clear win against Hellfire and be ready enough to take on Berserker. Now his options were limited, more like nonexistent. Ash knew well enough that if he wanted a chance against Shadow, Pikachu would need to be one hundred percent fresh. The previous draw was really in my favor. Sure, a win would have probably decided the match but even this way, Ash was with his back against a wall. Desperate enough to NEED a Flying type to score a victory against Berserker.

The field choice was actually brilliant. It left him the option of sending in Buizel again if he managed to drag out the fight long enough too... We'd see about that. Time to get things moving. "Stone Edge!" Despite the once again raging Sandstorm, Staraptor easily saw the attack coming and evaded.

"Whirlwind!" I gasped, having not expected this. Ash seemed actually focused on this confrontation. Would he really... Even as I thought this, I realized that the move was not designed to serve its actual purpose. In fact it wasn't really the move Whirlwind which would cause an opposing Pokémon to switch out in battle, but more a fierce flapping of wings which blew away the sight-clouding Sandstorm. "Aerial Ace!"

I was still a little off-balance from the surprise which obviously was what Ash counted on. In a flash Staraptor was in Berserker's range but instead of following through with the attack, it came in with its feet outstretched. "Close Combat!" Ah, that was it. Of course. To be frank, there really was just one way Ash could hope to score in this battle. That also made him rather predictable and vulnerable though.

"Block it." Berserker grunted as he took some of the hits but eventually managed to parry the following and finally made a grab for the bird whose close proximity left it rather exposed. Before my Pokémon could restrain his foe though, Ash called for Staraptor to break away and it barely managed to slip out of reach.

This was going to be a waiting game I figured. With Berserker's movements restrained to the solitary island, there was little I could do for now other than range attacks which would mostly serve as a distraction, the opponent too fast to be actually hit by them... yet. Thus I could allow myself to observe Ash and his reactions. Despite the pinch he was in, his focus hadn't changed. In fact he seemed to look even more confident. No, not just confident. Belief shone in his eyes. Even against the odds, he had full trust in his Pokémon's ability to pull this off. For him victory would not be a miracle but a certainty.

He had really come a long way in this tournament. It seemed he had taken the final distance to true mastery. Whether or not he would win or lose this match, in my eyes my best friend had proven himself already. Right now though, I was committed. Ash would not forgive me if I pulled my punches now. This had gone far beyond a test.

"Again!" I frowned when Staraptor dove in for another pass but this time there was no stop and Berserker was struck by the Aerial Ace right at the exposed section of his armored body. Not that it did much but I decided I had done enough waiting. I would not play Ash's game forever.

"Shockwave!" Once again Berserker's greatest asset came through. To be fair, I hardly used some of the moves he could do but it was always good to have them. The electric current struck Staraptor just as it came around. "Follow it up with Ancientpower!" Without giving it a moment to recover, Berserker struck the bird with a multicolored beam, literally blasting it out of the sky. I was pleased to see that the effect of the move had kicked in but the match should be all but over now. Unbalanced from the shock, Staraptor had been struck hard and to top it off, there was only water to land in. With a big splash the Bird Pokémon vanished in the water, the field Ash had chosen now suddenly working against him.

For several seconds nothing happened. The stadium had gone almost completely silent in anticipation. I began to wonder if Staraptor had fainted underwater and sunk, worried I might have done too much damage. I was just about to mention it to the referee when the water seemed to start moving, creating small waves as if something was swimming underneath the surface at very fast speed. In disbelief I watched Staraptor break the water surface, shaken, hurt, angry but very much capable of fighting, shooting with high speed towards my equally stunned Pokémon. Ash's attack command came more retroactive than anything else. "Brave Bird!"

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**(Ash)**

Staraptor by nature never quit. You could hurt one, you could bring one so close to passing out, it should by rational standards just stop and lie still. However, they would not stop. Not until they had really and truly completely passed out. My Staraptor took this defining ability to heart and throughout the training only proved it to the extreme. At times I really worried for her health. Right now, I was glad about it. For a moment I had been worried when she had crashed into the water. Yet, our training had even covered such situations. Where other birds would get seriously hampered by just falling into the water, soaked wings making it much harder to fly as smooth as a battle situation required, Staraptor had learned through determined work to spend a short time underwater and use her wings kind of like a fish would its fins, gliding along and creating enough momentum to surface with enough speed that would create enough friction to negate any immediate negative side effect of having staid underwater.

With this much momentum behind her assault, the powerful move once again struck Tyranitar at its weak point, this time clearly with more of an effect. The hulking beast was driven back by the force, began to tumble, feet losing their strong stand as Tyranitar began to fall backwards slowly. For a moment elation swapped through me. So far this opponent had seemed unstoppable. No, unmovable would be a more appropriate term for the current situation.

My moment of mounted hope was shattered when Tyranitar on the verge of losing its footing, managed to catch itself. Faster than I could react, Leaf and her Pokémon took advantage of the situation. "Thunder Fang!"

Knowing I could not allow the move to connect with Staraptor soaked, I had to react quickly. "Counter with Close Combat!" Staraptor managed to smash her feet into Tyranitar's head as it tried to bite her. There was little time though to celebrate that hit or hope to continue the assault.

"Strength!" Unable to dodge, Staraptor was struck hard by a powerful punch, launching her away from the platform and high into the sky, tumbling about wildly. I gritted my teeth. Things had finally seemed to go my way but I should really have expected that Leaf's Pokémon would not go down that easily. "Keep it up now, Berserker! Rock Slide!"

We weren't done though either. No, we were just starting. I could feel it now. Much like with Pikachu and Infernape before, I could feel the beginning of the change. "Staraptor!" I called out for her, nothing else necessary as the rocks began to pound her, piling the damage and making it seem impossible that she could recover from this. I conveyed all my trust into that one shout though, hoping to reach whatever little barrier was still holding her back.

And indeed, my valiant friend seemingly impossible began to stabilize her mad tumble even under the onslaught of attacks and finally broke through, starting to weave through the continuous rain of rocks, bathed in a bright glow that would remind most spectator as if she was evolving but flickering in bursts of multi-colored light.

I grinned. Breaking the natural limit was in fact more than a physical achievement. In fact, a big part of it was a spiritual effort. Without a much stronger than average bond between Trainer and Pokémon it was hardly possible. Sure, some wild Pokémon were known to have achieved the state on their own, that was very rare though. To try and break the natural bonds inflicted on a Pokémon, one had to get in tune with the primal force slumbering in each, seize it and go beyond it. The most commonly known method to achieve this was why most Trainers would have trouble going through with it even if all other conditions were met. I too had found myself troubled.

To find the kind of inner clarity to touch the very essence of their life and power, a Pokémon would have to literally stare death into the eyes and then spit in his face. A truly life-threatening situation was certain to bring about these abilities... if the Pokémon could overcome this challenge. This required an unshakable will, a burning desire to live, an unstoppable drive to rise beyond the pain, rise beyond the impossible and achieve his or her goals. This was the point where the Trainer came in to help out greatly. With a bond strong enough to convey their feelings, they could help to strengthen the needed resolve and achieve the Limit Break.

"Giga Impact!"

Once again the arena was rocked by a sonic boom. Staraptor had been fast before, now it had really broken the speed of sound and beyond. Leaf and Tyranitar had not even a moment to breathe, much less react, before Staraptor slammed into her foe. However, not from above. No, she had slipped into a curve and hammered into her opponent's jaw, this time clearly lifting it of its feet... presented just right for what she had never gotten quite right before but I knew was now possible. "Aerial Combat!"

A series of blows with wings and feet slammed into the helpless Tyranitar while both Pokémon were hovering in midair. Too fast to follow, the position impossible to even think of a counter. Before long the barrage ended with a well-placed slap of both wings like a hammer blow that drove Tyranitar down... right into the water.

Once more silence reigned and the situation was almost reversed compared to before. However, Tyranitar would not come up again. The damage it had taken was too severe. Aerial Combat was a variation, but still very much a Fighting-type move. Staraptor's power had also risen dramatically through the Limit Break and finally the field was now really working to my advantage. There was only so much elemental resistance training you could do, the fact remained that Tyranitar was a Rock type and even more important... a very heavy one. I couldn't imagine...

Even as I thought this, it was my turn to stare in disbelief when the water started to rise up. Gripping the edge of my platform I could only watch in stunned amazement and dread as Tyranitar broke the surface with a mighty roar... riding on top of a mighty wave as if it was mere child's play...

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**(Narrator)**

"The twists and turns this battle has already taken, have found a new height. Staraptor has broken her natural limit but Tyranitar seems relentless and even more unstoppable now. Can Ash still pull off a win in this fierce competition? We will see in the explosive conclusion of this historical match... next time!"

I ran off to dodge various objects thrown at me...

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**Author's Notes**

Heh, I warned you about the cliffhanger. Okay, I think it's not that bad, could have been much worse.

Yay, 10k mark once again passed (well, if we take the header and other non-story elements too). It has been awhile.

I seriously have only a few things to mention. First of all Leaf's Dark-type theme is kind of reflecting my own favorites. Back in the old days when Pokémon was still simple and there were actually useful things like Stadium and Coliseum, I was rather taken with the existing Dark-type Pokémon and would often use a weird Psychic/Dark lineup. It was still feasible then since the setups greatest trouble, Bug-type moves, were almost non-existent. Umbreon, Houndoom and Tyranitar were my favorites then and still kind of are, seeing as until B/W now, there hasn't been much of a decent addition to Dark types (except Darkrai I suppose). Umbreon's set was definitely one of my most used strategies. Toxic, Mean Look and Moonlight (perhaps with some Leftovers) makes it almost invincible unless you get a hazer.

I hope you all liked the way the battle is going, there are still quite some surprises left. The idea with the winner changing the battlefield was a spur of the moment thing and at first I implanted it but for a time almost forgot it. ^_^ But later on I was glad I had thought about it since this way I could implant some interesting twists at the end. Twilight pointed out to me that he would have the loser choose. I kind of understand the reasoning but I thought it more of a motivation to not lose. Besides, I'd have to rewrite the entire last portion then and change the preplanned matchups... nope, I'll keep with it. To be fair, except for the conclusion of the current matchup, the field won't be that important in the last ones.

I wanted to correct some of the conceptions about attack limitations for awhile. I know, I tend to go a lot above even the supposed normal four unnatural moves but as I had explained, that is the normal limit, not an absolute. Both Ash and Leaf have gone through similar training regiments and you should expect above average by now... :)

As for Leaf's name... I just left it in there for now and am going to comment on it later. Yes, Leaf is going to be her nickname but I am honestly not too sure about her real name yet. So if I find something more appropriate in the future, I might change it.

On a completely unrelated note/rant... I am currently watching the latest One Piece episodes online and am nearing the end... I am now at 483 (finished). Without giving away spoilers but... Honestly, they are ending it like that? After well over 50 episodes of buildup, pretty much ditching the usual cast for this and finally coming to a seemingly successful conclusion, one episode later it ends like that?! Honestly, that was just extraordinary cruel... And I won't say more on it. Those who know what I'm talking about, will understand.

Feedback please. Oh, and... Paolo, either I get a response from you in the next few days or I consider the test run a failure. I'm sure you have had your reasons (I hope) but I don't appreciate to be left sitting for over a month for one episode. In that time I could have probably given it to Ay and been done with at least one.

On that note, I probably still need a beta, so my previous call for one still stands. Honestly I need little more than a second proofreading from someone who is either a native speaker and/or very good with the language. Everything else, like extensive anime knowledge etc., would just be a bonus for now. The most important thing, however, is that they are reliable. I realize I write huge chapters and I don't expect them back in two days. But a week tops or so should easily be doable. If you accept, I expect my beta to be committed and not let me hanging for a month. Seeing as I won't get everything beta'ed before I'm finished with this arc, I will have posted my slight revisions of the earlier episodes (narrator addition and some subtle things) with the release of this chapter as alpha versions. Who knows... Seeing as I'll make a break and see to some other things after this arc, I might get Ay to beta again. Still, send me a message if you are interested. Having more than one would after all lighten the workload.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	8. 0107: Ash VS Leaf! Part 2

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: First Arc, Seventh Episode

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

Geez, did no one notice my causal mistake last episode? I had Ash choose the field for this battle even though Infernape and Houndoom scored a draw, I have gone back and changed the initial rule setting. That was the most simple without killing the entire match... Gah, I normally don't make such mistakes and don't see them. I feel really bad about it. Sorry.

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**(Narrator)**

"Ash has reached the final of the Sinnoh League Conference. Facing off with his old friend Leaf, the two Trainers have thus far shown a performance sure to be forever remembered in Pokémon League history." I show the viewers some scenes from the match thus far. The first victory by Torterra, the destruction of him and Gabite by Tyranitar, how Buizel split the water in his victory over Sharpedo, the fierce battle between Infernape and Houndoom ending in a draw. "Ash has been fighting an uphill battle ever since Leaf's Tyranitar entered the fight. Now his Staraptor is facing off in a seemingly hopeless matchup against the powerful Dark type." I display the scene of Staraptor crashing into the water and getting pummeled in the air, only to strain against the assault, breaking her natural limit and attacking Tyranitar with an aerial version of Close Combat, sending him into the water. "Yet, Ash's brave Pokémon has now gained the extra boost that she might need to win. Her opponent though is not yet defeated..."

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**Opening Theme (Dream Wing, Mai-Otome 1st Opening)**

On the backdrop of the Sinnoh region map, Ash appears on the left, then Dawn on the right, then quickly between them Brock, Pikachu and Piplup. The logo appears behind them.

_Mitsuketa no dream_

_dokidoki ga tomaranai_

Ash sits on a boulder, his badge case in his lap. He is deep in thought, then looks up and we see a stadium, the view quickly zooming up to the fire ignited on top.

_MEISTER DREAM_

The scene flawlessly continues into a shot of the Grand Festival trophy, then quickly fades out to show a stage...

_umaretano takaramono_

_mune ippai ni kirameki hajimeru_

Before finding Dawn, sitting in a field of flowers. She has been looking up similar as Ash, but now looks down and places a hand over her heart, a soft smile on her face.

_doushite konna ni fuan ni naru no kana_

_kakae kirenai omoi_

_namida koboreru kedo..._

The screen splits showing Ash and Dawn running towards the image of the stadium/stage separately. They each reach out with their left/right hand but can't reach it. They become aware of each other then and this time both reach out with the other hand, clasping them together before jumping forward. The scene flashes white.

_kitto itsuka tadori tsukeru yo_

_tsumadzui tatte akiramenai_

Ash is in the middle of an arena, face serious, pointing forward. Pikachu jumps forward sparks flying. Quick shift through Ash's Sinnoh team fighting. Gabite fires off a Draco Meteor. From the burst emerges Buizel zipping by in an Aqua Jet, followed by Staraptor crossing paths in a diving attack. Torterra drops into the screen and lets loose with a hailstorm of leaves, out of which Infernape comes blazing and bathed in fire. He is joined by Pikachu running along with Volt Tackle.

_yuuki dashite mae ni susumou_

Dawn is in the stands, cheering them on along with Piplup. Brock is next to her a little reserved but also cheering. Ash is meanwhile facing off with Leaf. Umbreon jumps to forward with a cloak of shadows around it.

_chiisana ippo fumi daseba_

_hora ne, atarashii watashi_

Pikachu burst forth, wrapped in a cloak of lightning. The two clash and Ash looks on grim, a little helpless. A transparent image of Dawn appears behind him and gives him a huge. Ash balls his fist and takes a step forward. Pikachu pushes back Umbreon and is gaining speed. The screen shifts one last time, showing Ash and Leaf with their entire team backing them up on either side.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

First Arc: Breaking the Limit

Episode 7: A Dream in Reach! Ash VS Leaf, the Conclusion!

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**(Brock)**

I don't think I had ever been so utterly fascinated and baffled by a Pokémon match. At first the atmosphere in the box had been relaxed, comments were made, Dawn occasionally squabbling with the "fake" Leaf about who would win. As the match progressed and at least by the time that Infernape and Houndoom had their battle, even Cynthia seemed utterly captivated. That should say a lot about the quality of the match. The ultimate League Champion clearly had seen and fought similar matches of this degree before, to get her this absorbed showed just how good the competitors were.

It was very hard to say who would win by now. Leaf still held the upper hand and this battle was crucial. If Ash didn't manage to take down this Tyranitar now without losing another of his Pokémon, he'd be in real trouble with only the drained Buizel and Pikachu left against two fresh and powerful Pokémon. Even winning would leave him in a bad spot. Leading 3-2 meant little if two Pokémon were at the limit of their strength.

Much like everyone I had thought the battle had been over several times, especially after the last attack by Staraptor. However, both Pokémon were showing incredible toughness, pulling up reserves to stay in the fight that many surely thought impossible. Both had by now landed in the water and both had come out of it, seemingly even more motivated.

The sight of the colossal Tyranitar using Surf to escape from its watery grave was still baffling. I swear you could hear the whole stadium simultaneously gasp when it happened. And Leaf was not about to waste the once more shifted momentum, pulling out yet another move in her Pokémon's near endless supply when a harsh Blizzard swept over the battlefield. And while Staraptor managed to deflect harm from herself by creating a powerful gust of wind, the field didn't fare so well. In wonder I watched as the water froze and actually thick enough that Tyranitar landed on it moments later without its massive weight breaking what I thought just a shallow layer.

If that was supposed to help though, I soon realized along with everyone else the supposedly ineffectiveness of having suddenly more space to move – or perhaps I should better say slide on. Staraptor had gained an enormous speed boost. Its attacks now came with such force behind them that Tyranitar could hardly react. Attacks of its own were almost impossible to connect. Still, Leaf showed how much she was used to speeds like this by using the right timing to block some of Staraptor's more devastating attacks and even landing a hard blow here and there. Both Pokémon looked like they were drawing on their last bit of reserves though. This match would be decided soon enough.

I chanced a glance over to Dawn and saw her gripping the edges of her seat. She might be confident over Ash's ability to win but that didn't stop her from worrying. She knew the reality of the situation and that Ash was still at a drastic disadvantage for the final stretch, regardless of how this battle ended.

_Come on, Ash_, I thought, turning back to the fight. _I know you can do it. We all believe in you._ Perhaps I really did feel a little inadequate seeing all the action but that didn't really matter right now. Ash was a lot like a younger brother to me after all those years and I wanted to see him succeed. He had worked towards this for so long, had become such a strong Trainer, he deserved to see his dream fulfilled. I couldn't do much from here but like Dawn I could believe in him.

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**(Ash)**

I had to finish this soon. The longer it took to reach a conclusion, the worse it would be for the next battle. On the other hand rushing would play right into Leaf's hands and would also cut down the recovery time for Buizel. Leaf knew that too and seemed content to wait it out. When Staraptor had broken her natural limit, it had evened the match. I had hoped the momentum would be enough to score the victory but Tyranitar had proven why it was chosen for this match.

No, I couldn't wait much longer. I had hoped there would be no need for that. However, I had to consider the next opponent and by creating the ice field Leaf had unknowingly provided me with a way to put an end to this. Even if it was extremely risky. If it didn't work out, I could end up in even more trouble than I already was.

"Staraptor, Roost!" I commanded after she had landed another hit on Tyranitar, keeping it unfocused long enough for my Pokémon to recover some of her strength. If everyone thought that I was having her gathering strength for the final assault, they were only half right. Despite appearance I knew that Tyranitar would not fall so easily. Which was why I had Staraptor subtly direct attention to a specific point. While it seemed like a waste to attack the thick scale armor covering its body, the end result could be the decisive factor in finally taking our opponent out of the match.

Leaf wasn't idly sitting around to wait for me, of course. "Ancientpower!"

"Agility! Maneuver 11!" Aerial combat was a lot easier to plan out specific strategies for. There was only so much unpredictable movement that could be done while flying. I had worked on several strategies for different scenarios with Staraptor and some of the others for aerial and mid-air combat and now we would see how successful that had been.

Staraptor shot up out of range from the attack, her speed, phenomenal already from the Limit Break, was now little more than a streak of light. She might actually be as fast as Pikachu at his best. This was easier to achieve in the air, of course, the different dynamics and going in a fairly straight line with gravity added to the momentum.

Just a few moments later Staraptor had completed her turn and was shooting towards her opponent while practically touching the ice surface. I smirked when I saw the sparks created by the friction. The intense heat generated by Staraptor's speed and the friction caused by the close proximity to the ground was starting to weaken the surprisingly strong ice. At the point where Staraptor had come down, a hole had already formed.

"Berserker, Strength!"

My smirk widened a little. From most people's point of view it was not useful to have Staraptor too close and up front like that. She was fast, yes, but it was easy to anticipate. Tyranitar cocked back its massive fist, ready to strike... thin air as Staraptor swerved sharply to the side at the last moment. "U-turn!"

In a move that seemed to define the laws of physics Staraptor performed a tight turn maintaining almost all of her speed and struck Tyranitar hard in the side before the effect of the move had her return to her Pokéball.

I lost no time in following up, throwing up my remaining Pokéball. "Let's finish this, Buizel!" Relieved I could see that Buizel seemed recovered enough, giving a brief rotation with both his tails to show that the previous injury was not hindering him. That was good enough for me. "Staraptor did a lot of work, let's not waste it." Buizel nodded seriously, squaring off against the behemoth with no fear at all. There would be no time for games. I had to finish this now. The next one would decide it.

"Maneuver 7!"

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**(Leaf)**

I bit my lip in what was perhaps the first bout of real frustration in this match. Ash's Pokémon were proving even more tenacious than I had anticipated. By rights, Berserker should have had Staraptor overwhelmed already. Yet, not only had it persevered against the odds but also managed to take that last small step towards breaking its natural limit. That in turn caused the Bird Pokémon to be so freakishly fast that it hardly mattered how strong Berserker was. My only hope had been that my Pokémon would outlast Ash's or at least manage to drag it down with him like Houndoom had done with Infernape.

Don't get me wrong. I was happy that Ash had become so strong. The sheer ridiculous amount of punishment his Pokémon were ready to take for him were proof of how strong the bonds between them were. And that was in the end all that mattered, the difference between the strong Trainers and the Elites. That didn't mean I had any intention of losing.

Of course, that last attack had really caught us off guard and Berserker was getting annoyed by all the punishment he had to take. And that wasn't good. Tyranitar might be the physically strongest Pokémon I had, with a high variety of attacks, but he was also relatively new. We had just barely managed to make the Limit Break shortly before the tournament and he still had tendencies to lose his patience and concentration when he got frustrated.

And Buizel making immediate use of the generated hole in the ice and disappearing from view got Berserker only more ticked off. There was actually little to be done in this situation. The ice hid our opponent from view and made any sort of counter obsolete. Breaking the ice would only serve to our opponent's advantage and Tyranitar's Shockwave was by far not anywhere strong enough to affect a Water Pokémon that had gone through elemental resistance training.

On the other hand I wondered what Ash was up to. That he had merely announced an obvious preplanned strategy was another sign how much he had grown, another mark of the Elite. It was also annoying for the opponent. There was just that one hole in the ice and the weakened section where Staraptor had come down before. That left Buizel little options to reemerge.

Thus my and Berserker's attention was focused on the general area and we were caught completely off guard when in a show of raw power Buizel was drilling out of the ice with an Aqua Jet, immediately absorbing some of the ice into the layer and strafing Berserker before he could react, immediately boring right back under the ice and into the water. And so it continued. Again and again, every time creating a new hole, entirely unpredictable. If the battle hadn't gone on so long, I might have been able to salvage the situation but Berserker was getting really angry now. Wildly swing at his opponent, his aim was entirely off as he got struck over and over again.

All at once the wild barrage ended and Buizel once again stayed hidden under the water. Taking a deep breath, I briefly closed my eyes, trying desperately to feel the connection with my Pokémon. "Calm down," I spoke quietly, technically to low to be heard over the crowd that was getting riled up by the fierce fight. But thankfully being heard normally wasn't necessary or my intention. Berserker growled lowly but began to temper his rage somewhat. "Get back to the platform!" I called out louder and my Pokémon complied. Ash's strategy was simple but effective. Yet, it only worked as long as Buizel retained the element of surprise. With Berserker back on the center platform that gave him a much better defensive position. Buizel had to come out real close to...

What the hell?! For almost several seconds too long I stared at the sight of the Water Pokémon, more spinning than swimming as it was barreling straight through the trench Staraptor had started to create in the ice earlier. In doing so the Ice Aqua Jet was only getting more massive, although not slowing down Buizel at all! Just how much HAD Ash been holding back in the previous battles? I had personally placed Buizel on the bottom tier in terms of an actual threat, unevolved and without a Limit Break. I shuddered to think what it would do when achieving both... It might be a bit of a one-trick pony but it was also using that one attack variation very well, to a point of making it not merely an attack but a fighting style in and on itself.

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**(Ash)**

"Earthquake!" Leaf broke out of her stupor but it was already too late. Had she done this earlier, it might have made a difference, by clearing up the ice and making it easier to defend in just one place. Now Buizel's momentum had already reached a level where he had all the strength and more importantly all the ice necessary. This maneuver took the Ice Aqua Jet to an extreme. There was quite a bit of risk involved. The concentration alone needed for this was so intense that Buizel couldn't stop for a single moment. If the momentum was halted, he'd end up freezing himself.

Just as the shockwave began to rupture the ice in front of him, Buizel dived down once more, performing only a small curve under the surface, further concealed by the crumbling ice. I bet Tyranitar thought himself quite safe on the little island and certainly so did Leaf. The platform was built of solid steel as far I knew, meant to support heavyweights much like Tyranitar even under great stress.

The sheer power of the Ice Aqua Jet was not to be denied.

Expecting an attack from anywhere around the platform, Trainer and Pokémon were totally shocked when it came from directly below. By now the ice had formed into a heavy and sharp spike, making Buizel resemble something more like a real drill than anything remotely close to a Pokémon. Unrelenting it tore through the thick steel and with resounding impact drove right for its target.

Tyranitar let out a roar of pain when the armor plating at his right side, which had been continuously assaulted by Staraptor before, actually gave way. Instead of aiming for the obvious exposed area, I had decided to do something unconventional that Leaf wouldn't expect and would prove even more rewarding. The exposed area could be trained to withstand damage. However, aside from general strength and muscle training, there was little you could do for the area under the natural armor. Once actually broken, Tyranitar was so unused to anything striking actual skin there, that the damage was much worse than it would have been anywhere else.

Bouncing away, Buizel completed a lazy spin, allowing the last of the ice that hadn't shattered upon contact to disperse before landing in the water, panting hard. Tyranitar stood unmoved for about two seconds, a grimace of pain on its face... before the knees began to buckle and it slumped forward with a deep groan, finally relenting to the strain of its body.

"Tyranitar is unable to battle! Buizel is the winner!"

I breathed a deep sigh of relief, letting some of the tension drain away from me. This had been much harder than even I expected. The strain on my Pokémon was a heavy price for this victory but both Buizel and Staraptor had equal part in this win and that should get them a big confidence boost. I just hope it would be enough.

Leaf slowly shook her head and recalled Tyranitar. "You did excellent, Berserker." Looking over to me, she smiled thinly. "I have to admit, you are every bit I had hoped for. You've come a long way, Ash. It... is an honor to fight you in my last battle before I leave this stage for the big one."

"Once I win, I'll be right behind you!" I returned the smile. I knew what she meant. I could already say, despite the seriousness of the contest, despite the realization of my dream on the line, despite all these odds that should not have allowed such feelings... I was having fun. More fun than I ever had had in a match before. I was enjoying this so much I felt like I could do this forever... Well, if my heart would allow that. One could only run on adrenaline for so long. "I'll keep the field," I called out to the referee. Why wouldn't I? It had already brought me so much luck. Buizel could always use the water... and I doubted it would even matter with what I knew came next.

"It's not over yet. Lemuria, go!"

And I knew these words to be true. This would be entirely different than the last battle. Mismagius was a completely different type. Not as straightforward and designed to overwhelm like Tyranitar but much more annoying. I had some ideas how to go about this, of course, but with Buizel in this condition, it would be up to Staraptor in the end. Hopefully Roost and the time Buizel was able to buy would be enough to make this second to last match more or less equal.

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**(Dawn)**

With some effort I let go off the death grip on my seat, for now. The battle had been so breathtaking that I had hardly noticed holding on so hard. This match really wasn't for the faint of heart, especially not those that were directly rooting for one of the contestants. I wondered how Mrs. Ketchum was doing over in their block? The audience was thoroughly enthralled already. Every twist and turn – which were plenty – were reflected in exclamation, hushed silence, awed shouts or thunderous applause.

And that was just us watching. I wondered how Ash and Leaf were doing. I was sweating already just from sitting here, they had to be much worse off and still didn't lose their cool. This was an entirely different level of competition from the norm. No Contest battle could ever get so intense with the time limit as it was.

The battle had taken a bit of a lull again and considering what was still to come in the conclusion, everyone – Trainers included – could really use the breather from the adrenaline rush of constant split second decisions.

At first glance the match right now looked more like a well-choreographed dance with no Pokémon really hitting the other. That the platform was all but destroyed didn't matter seeing as Mismagius didn't need to stand and Buizel was using the water for cover and guerilla tactics. This allowed him to stay unscathed so far but Mismagius had no trouble evading all the probing attacks. From all of Leaf's Pokémon this one was whom she had used almost exclusively throughout the previous rounds and thus there was some room to prepare. The problem was that the Ghost type was seemingly invulnerable to ANYTHING physical. True, none of its opponent's could attain the speed Ash's Pokémon could but Buizel wasn't really getting anywhere either.

Of course, the Water Pokémon had fought a lot, the longest along with Staraptor. He was tired, running pretty much on adrenaline alone. Ash knew one good hit would do him in at this point. As such, if he wanted to make at least one good attack count, he needed the right timing. And it had to be soon.

Leaf was getting tired of the waiting game apparently. "Lemuria, Psychic! Drain the pool!" My eyes had to be bulging in disbelief. She couldn't possibly... And it was said in such a confident tone, too. As if such a feat was no issue. Of course, I should stop getting constantly surprised by feats of the impossible. Eyes glowing, Mismagius began to swirl the water fast and faster, creating a whirlpool of sorts but not with a vortex in the middle going down... instead it went up!

"Don't wait for them to finish! Aqua Jet!" Buizel shot out of the raging water towards Mismagius. Leaf seemed to have made a big mistake since it took all of her Pokémon's concentration to manipulate the water... Manipulate the... Oh crap.

Even as I thought that the torrent of water gathering skywards came down in an interception course for Buizel. However, he was ready for it, barely managing to slip by and strike out at Mismagius as the released water rushed back down. I could barely see much less hear over the roaring when Mismagius suddenly began to glow again, deftly avoiding the Ice Punch and sending some kind of move right back at Buizel. Torment! I realized when Buizel began to stumble and lose his otherwise unparalleled midair control because Torment forced him to abandon the technique that needed repeated fast recasts in order to maintain it for his unique use.

"Shadow Ball!" Mismagius follow-up came so fast, the sphere was practically on top of the suddenly falling and helpless Buizel in a moment. At the same time the water had finally crashed down into the arena again, causing an immediate wave shooting up towards the fighters.

Ash once again wouldn't just give in without a last try and knew how to use the opportunity. "Now Sonic Pulse!" With what really seemed his last strength, Buizel maneuvered just behind the wave. The Shadow Ball had so much momentum it broke right through but by then Buizel had hit the wave with his tail and created a Water Pulse magnified in power and speed by a Sonicboom. Not to counter the attack though. No, it shot right past and even as Buizel was hit hard by the Shadow Ball, Mismagius was enveloped in its own explosion, doubtless not enough to take it out but it had to have hurt.

Buizel was pretty much out of it before he even hit the surface and Ash quickly recalled him, giving a nod to the referee to cede the victory to Leaf. Everyone was focused on Mismagius though who had emerged from the explosion of high-pressured water slightly worse for wear but not very much winded. The mischievous expression had mostly disappeared from its face though.

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**(Leaf)**

I had no delusions about thinking I had the upper hand in this matchup. Not even with all the advantages I should be having. As the only non-Dark type, Lemuria was quite a bit special. Limit Break worked a little different on Ghosts than it did on natural, living Pokémon. The simple reason being just that. Generating a Limit Break had quite a bit to do with will and most of all life force. Ghosts weren't _alive_. They couldn't attain a higher state of evolution in the way other Pokémon could. For ghosts there really was only one way. All ghosts eventually had to pass on. Only one who had the overwhelming will – not clouded by an obsessive attachment but more a personal choice – to remain bound to the world of the living could attain a higher level of power. Most ghosts that got _old_ enough would naturally attain this level, it was for the younger that it was harder.

Attaining these powers allowed a Ghost type almost full immunity from physical harm. Anything physical, not just normal and Fighting-type attacks were next to ineffective since Lemuria could just phase through them. However, compared to a natural Limit Break there was an actual drawback. By linking itself stronger with the physical world with which it had technically already parted, a Ghost type became more vulnerable to the pure elements. Fire, water, earth and air. They symbolized life and their energy could severely hurt a higher level Ghost type.

Thankfully Buizel had been at the last tatters of its strength. Such a blast like the last attack would have been concerning with Lemuria's opponent at full health. Even so, it had left more damage than my Pokémon was ready to show.

Despite all this, despite Staraptor being a more physical-orientated Pokémon, I was not deterred into rash overconfidence. It had just breached its own limit and thus had both the speed and ability to actually hit Lemuria if we were careless. Thus my choice of battlefield. I had to actually thank and congratulate the designers of this masterpiece. Hot smoke was shooting up in plumes out of small holes, as if on top of a geyser. I had no idea how they pulled it off but this gave Lemuria an excellent way to hide behind the erupting smoke and surprise Staraptor with fast Shadow Balls and the occasional Charge Beam or Rock Gem.

I had given Ash just enough to think about at the beginning, letting him try some direct attacks and seeing him fail before using the hot smoke as cover. I knew giving him too much would just end up with him figuring out that all he needed to do was to catch Lemuria off-guard and he WOULD find a way. By giving him just a glimpse, I had him distracted while thinking. It was time to put up the pressure. If I wanted to keep a small advantage before the final fight, I had to win this one.

"Lemuria, Mean Look!" Normally this wouldn't be necessary. I knew Ash wouldn't send in Pikachu unless Staraptor fell. I wouldn't either. However, things would be different for this situation. "Perish Song!" That was one more attribute that Ghost types earned when attaining their higher level. They became completely immune to the effects of their own Perish Song.

Ash knew this, of course, from my fight with Nando. And he was prepared for it. "Counter it!" And Staraptor did. Simple but ingenious at the same time. The move largely depended on the target hearing the song. Letting out an ear-piercing shriek, the sound wave easily overrode the Perish Song. It didn't matter though, I had not expected it to work.

Mentally giving Lemuria the appropriate command, she used Staraptor's confusion to quickly power up with Nasty Plot and then hitting her foe with a Psybeam that left it momentarily confused... "Again!" This time there was no way to repel the Perish Song and thus Staraptor was officially on a time limit now. "Back into cover!" I urged. A cornered foe was especially dangerous. Staraptor had already proven that statement today.

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**(Cynthia)**

In my function as League Champion I had seen many matches, all types of them. Yet, to put this one into any simple categories like good or bad wouldn't be right. I had seen many tournament finals and I couldn't recall ever seeing one as intense as this. This match was easily a lower to mid-level Master League contest and would have raised some serious interest even there. I was seriously amazed by the leap Ash had made from when I had seen him the last time.

He didn't allow himself to be affected by the sudden pressure and demonstrated that he had obviously done his homework, Staraptor's speed once more coming into effect in a breathtaking maneuver that blindsided Mismagius with an Aerial Ace, not able to fade fast enough. The follow-up was interrupted though when one of the geysers erupted into an actual flame and forced the Bird Pokémon to avoid the scorching blast.

This field was an experimental one, using some new technical invention to simulate a geyser field with random bursts of magma. The creators were rather proud of it but it was also somewhat dangerous and wasn't supposed to be used outside of the Master League. Both Trainers had been asked, warned yet had agreed on the field's inclusion. Not that I thought it would stop either of them. They were already on the level where both could handle the potential hazard.

Leaf caught herself and used one of Mismagius' trumps. For a short duration Mismagius could permanently fade, making any physical attacks ineffective. Like all techniques of a higher tier Ghost type, this one came with a drawback as well, the question would be if Ash could figure it out fast enough to devise and execute a counter strategy. Normally it wasn't very advisable in a straight-up fight since the Ghost Pokémon would relinquish all attack ability for a nearly ultimate defense. Pressed for time, Ash wouldn't be able to take it slow though. Perish Song worked slower on higher tiers like Staraptor, however, it still worked.

Some months ago Ash would have gotten worked up by his inability to score a hit while the time was running out. Now he stood calmly, fully concentrated, letting Staraptor fly attack after attack. What seemed to the casual observer like helplessness and desperation, was in fact the one thing he could do. He seemed to have grasped immediately that there was some kind of time limit to Mismagius' ability. And there was. Albeit a very small one. And if my calculations were correct he would get one chance to see it and then one more to exploit it. I doubted he had started to count right away, which meant he would have to guess the rest.

A few seconds later Mismagius shimmered and became fully visible once again. Ash immediately had Staraptor launch an attack but there was only a five second interval until Mismagius could do it again. The first strike was evaded and the second passed through the ghost again.

"Omnious Wind!"

That one surprised us all, Leaf included. While possible, it was very rare for a Flying Pokémon to learn a Ghost-type technique. Surprise was all it really did. Mismagius got hit but shrugged it off mostly. For a moment I wondered if Ash was getting desperate because he couldn't be sure about the timing. At his command Staraptor once again shot forward with high speed, creating another small shockwave but leaving his opponent untouched before vanishing behind another burst of flame that appeared randomly between the simple vapor bursts of the geysers.

My trained eyes caught the movement where I doubted anyone else did. Staraptor had used the eruption as cover to climb into the air, already far above eye level. What was he doing? Getting so far away could cost him his only opportunity. Was Ash out of ideas after all?

I chanced a glance over to Ash's friends and saw Dawn... grinning. Obviously she knew something neither of us did. Even I wasn't sure about his strategy. Staraptor had completely vanished from sight. There was no telling how high up it went and there was only a few seconds left for Ash. Certainly the time Perish Song left him would be gone as well shortly after that. The seconds were ticking by but there was still no sign of Ash's Pokémon...

Then a sharp cry razed the air and it was like a projectile fell from the sky. Surrounded by a shroud of wind Staraptor was plummeting back towards the arena in what seemed like a suicide dive. However, Ash's time was up. Already Mismagius had taken shape again and regardless how fast Staraptor was, it would not reach the Ghost type in time. Ash must have realized this as well. Without slowing down, Staraptor let loose another Omnious Wind which had more the effect of a small-scale hurricane. Obviously he hoped to throw Mismagius off in order for Staraptor to still reach it. A Trainer of Leaf's caliber though, would not be distracted.

"Three, two..." I heard Dawn counting quietly and wondered if she had figured out the rhythm but she was much too calm for what should be bad news. Just as Mismagius once more activated its ability, effectively sealing any of Ash's chances, another jet of fire erupted right in Staraptor's path. My eyes widened... and then I finally understood.

_Ash you truly are a genius._

"Do it now! Brave... Phoenix!" Cutting straight through the eruption of lava, Staraptor was bathed in an aura of fire and before either Leaf or Mismagius could even react impacted with its opponent.

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**(Ash)**

I had to admit, I did gamble a little on that last one. I had realized there was a timing to Mismagius' intangibility but with no time to wait and find it out, I was forced to either get it right the first time or try something different. The first lava eruption had immediately given me an idea, something I had tried numerous times in training. Normally wind simply fueled fire but used the right way Staraptor had created a tunnel, indeed fueling the fire around the area but also keeping it away from her and as a sort of cloak. I was certain that Mismagius' ability only allowed for physical attacks to pass through and higher tier ghosts were notoriously weak to the elements. Leaf giving me her training notes had played against her this time.

Seeing Mismagius hide behind but always stay a little away from the earlier eruptions had cinched it for me. Betting everything on one move was not exactly the most clever thing, the limited time had not allowed me for anything else though. In the end, I had been lucky. I couldn't be completely sure if the eruptions had an actual interval and I was unsure if my count had been right. Had Staraptor missed the eruption, it would have been over.

"You did wonderful," I complimented Staraptor before calling her back to the Pokéball. Perish Song had done its work shortly after Mismagius' near instant faint. Not that I had been surprised by it. Briefly I caught Leaf's gaze or that was the plan. The exchange went on for several more seconds. This was it. The decisive moment. The final battle. If we won, then my... no, our dream – my Pokémon and mine – would finally be in reach.

Pikachu was already up on the railing of the platform without a word necessary. "Ready, partner?"

"Pika!" was the simple enthusiastic reply. Yet everything about Pikachu was thoroughly focused.

"I think we'd like the starter field for this one," Leaf called out to the referee without separating my gaze from mine. Even if I could have had a say in it, the decision would have been the same.

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**(Leaf)**

"Shadow, it's time to win!"

Even as Shadow emerged from her Pokéball, Pikachu leapt down from the high platform as if it was nothing, firmly landing on all fours without any ill effects. Ash had trained him well and the bond between them was very similar to Shadow's and mine. I would have had her out of her Pokéball, too, but wanted to maintain a measure of secrecy in case I actually had to use her prior to the final.

Ash's gaze was intense. Confident, anxious, passionate, wary, all in one. Excitement had continued to grow inside my own heart and had reached the bursting point just about now, pushing away the last bit of shock over Ash's final maneuver with which he had managed to undo the draw from before. I could hardly wait any longer for this. The final moment. The true apex of our individual development. I would not give a single quarter.

"Final Round! Pikachu VS Umbreon! Fight!"

"Thunderbolt!"

"Dark Pulse!"

Pikachu dashed forward while unleashing a powerful electric bolt, met halfway by Shadows's attack. Immediately Pikachu shifted and rushed in with Quick Attack but I had Shadow counter with Return which was narrowly dodged and an Iron Tail flew just an inch over Shadow's head who immediately leapt back to put some distance between them.

Deciding to go on the offense, I tried something different. "Confuse Ray!" The beam was snapped off so fast, Pikachu barely had time to realize it was there. He didn't have to. Ash had already a counter ready.

"Thunder Wave!" The surge of electricity canceled out the beam and it was Umbreon's turn to make a quick leap so as not to get paralyzed early on. Again Pikachu pursued, tail crackling with electricity as he rushed in at high speed. Shadow was still in the air from the evasive jump, leaving her seemingly open to attack.

"Now!"

"Roll!" Ash snapped almost immediately after my command and Pikachu turned into a tight roll, the toxic burst passing by so close the Mouse Pokémon was sure to feel the sizzling. It did splash against the tail but the gathered charge seemed to neutralize it.

Both Pokémon landed with their backs turned but looking at their opponent, ready to spring back into action at any moment.

"Enough for a warm up?" I called over to Ash.

"Whenever you are ready."

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**(Brock)**

Warm up. Sure. I was afraid to take my eyes off the battle for even a moment, lest I actually missed something important. The speed so far already was like the more intense practice sessions between Ash and Dawn. I figured by now that Ash always must have been cutting back slightly to get an even challenge out of it despite how good I initially thought Dawn had become as well. I don't think I had ever seen Pikachu go all out, yet I was quite certain Dawn had never even pulled a draw against him.

But Leaf and her Umbreon were every bit their equal and perhaps more so. A year more experience, constant training in what Ash had done in a few months, I wondered if it would be enough. How high were Umbreon's limits compared to Pikachu's? Even with all the training, could Pikachu really hope to beat someone with the same training regiment but with years more of experience in it? That last move had almost hit and Pikachu getting badly poisoned was something Ash certainly had to prevent at all costs. This was the last battle. Even without Mean Look there was no more option to switch.

No, I chastised myself yet again. I needed to have faith. Just like Dawn who had gone from quiet, focused but properly ready to explode with anxiety to loudly cheering for Ash which in turn got the audience also riled up. It had already been a spectacular match and this would be an even more spectacular conclusion. The entire crowd was by now thoroughly enraptured and cheering for their favorite Trainer and Pokémon. I doubted those two were aware of it. Caught in their own world, just them, their Pokémon and the battle.

For a brief moment I wondered what all our other friends were doing? The tournament had made waves in the news and anticipation was high. Just yesterday evening I had briefly talked to Misty and knew she was watching today. May was out travelling but I had no doubt that if somehow possible, she would be watching as well.

_Everyone is watching you_, I thought with a good measure of pride for the boy I had always regarded like a brother. _This is your chance, Ash. Make us proud._

The two Pokémon below got back into a proper position, ready to go at it again, this time without any restrictions. The noise level became almost deafening, as if the intense emotions, the adrenaline both Trainers had to be feeling, were sweeping through the entire stadium. I couldn't restrain myself any longer either and stood, ready to support my friend to the best of my ability.

"Come on, you two, you can beat her!"

Dawn actually stopped for a moment, then smiled and went right back to cheering on her boyfriend, this time together with me and thousands of other spectators.

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**(Leaf)**

My consciousness had slipped completely away. This was a state even most Elites rarely managed to achieve. If you would ask, all but a select few would tell you the same. Such a complete harmony with your Pokémon was only possible with one, usually your first or in rare cases the one who was your primary partner. Such synchrony was indeed a skill necessary on this level and I knew Ash could employ it. However, I had to wonder if his grasp was already this strong to maintain it fully. To certain lower degrees we had both been doing it throughout the battle and those before. Completely merging with your Pokémon was something entirely different though. An almost psychic connection had formed between Shadow and me, one where no commands were necessary.

Pikachu's next attack was much faster but we were ready for it. I knew already that in raw speed Shadow would and could not be better. However, raw speed was not everything. With enough reaction time and superb reflexes it didn't matter how fast the opponent fast. The gap on this level was not so big that it made a difference anyway. Shadow was very fast for an Umbreon and that which made up for the gap was her true strength. Reflexes.

None of the lightning bolts that seemed like they came even faster than real lightning – if that was even possible – scored a hit. Not because of a lack of speed or precision though. The attacks were perfectly executed but we had already anticipated each and every one and the best course for evasion, slipping through most of them. One bolt was a grazing hit, but even that was calculated and hardly bothered us.

Sensing a more widespread attack, Shadow already moved before the Thunder had fully formed, scorching part of the ground where it struck. She launched a Shadow Ball in retaliation which got smacked right back by Pikachu's tail, followed by a burst of speed and a jump that carried Pikachu high overhead. I had seen him do this in the last match and was wary. Another shower of lightning bolts rained down, this time covering a wider range at a similar fast rate as the first. Regardless of that, we stayed calm and continued our evasive dance, already readying a counter offense.

"Pikachu is fast," I called over to Ash. "But you are not fast enough to beat us."

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**(Ash)**

With iron resolve I pressed down on the mounting frustration threatening to rise. This wasn't going well at all. Regardless what we did, Leaf and Umbreon had an answer for it. Or, to put it more precisely. Nothing we did ever scored a decisive hit. Whether it was Pikachu's lightning from a distance – ground or sky – or direct physical attacks – which I was somewhat reluctant to order because of that one move that could spill disaster for us –, the result staid the same.

My eyes narrowed when I saw Umbreon slip past another Thunderbolt, this time charged but only fired after a quick dash at almost point blank range. And still Umbreon seemed to evade with almost ridiculous ease. Why? Could she really be faster than Pikachu? No, I doubted that. Umbreon weren't known for high speed capabilities. Even a Limit Break could only do so much and might only make a difference against a normal Pokémon. No, I knew Pikachu was faster. So then why? Why couldn't we hit her?

Even as my thoughts were awhirl with forming and discarding possible reasons and solutions, Leaf obviously had enough of just reacting. Suddenly it was Pikachu who had to evade another Toxic assault, then two more fired off in rapid succession.

"Cloak!" I called out and the deadly toxin splashed against a highly charged electrical field quickly erected around Pikachu's body. Several more assaults met with similar resistance. Pikachu's elemental mastery was unmatched. He could use lightning to a degree few others of the same type could even remotely hope to. Not just for offense but also for defense. It made our earlier experimentations with elemental counter shields seem like mere child's play.

Just as I thought Leaf was getting a little one-sided by keeping up the Toxic attacks, a Dark Pulse came hurdling in the shadow of another wave, too fast to evade. The shield took the brunt of the attack but it was not quite designed for this type of damage. Umbreon immediately capitalized and moved in.

No, I thought grimly while watching closely. She isn't faster than Pikachu. Fast, yes, perhaps even fast enough to rival Infernape, but not that fast. We should be able to hit her. Pikachu back flipped out of the way of a Faint Attack and instinctively fired back with a Thunderbolt... that actually hit. My eyes widened in sudden understanding but I had no time to immediately act on my realization. Umbreon had shot a whole rain of Toxic into the air and Pikachu was hard-pressed evading in a hasty retreat. I saw the one shot coming straight through the shower from above almost too late.

"Watch out!" Pikachu had just evaded the last drop from above but the burst from straight ahead was too close already. "Use, Iron Tail and smack it back!" Steel was immune to everything Poison and thus the danger of actually infection was minimal. As predicted no harm was done and suddenly Umbreon had to dodge her own attack. "Volt Tackle!" With unrivaled speed Pikachu launched from defense into offense and yet again failed to fully connect. Slightly off-balance Pikachu managed to hit her in the side.

"Moonlight!"

I grimaced. Leaf's Umbreon really was a perfect, annoying Tank, yet still extremely dangerous during attack. It didn't matter though. I had seen what I needed and I understood what I had to do. There was no time for second-guessing or hesitation either. Despite my reluctance, if the battle stayed like this, we would lose.

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**(Pikachu)**

It had been frustrating for me as well. I was not used to having my attacks end up missing over and over again. The level of speed I had attained was a huge part of my style and the basis for my confidence to take everything this tournament could throw at us... apparently not counting on someone like Leaf to show up. I was prepared for close, for needing to pull out every reserve, a fight where the smallest mistake would make the difference. However, not getting any hit in on my opponent was more than just irking.

It was like Umbreon possessed a sixth sense or something that let her know of an attack before I even started. Of course, they would share a similar connection the way Ash and I did, perhaps even stronger, yet to react this fast... That's what it came down to. Reaction time. I think I realized it around the same time as Ash did. Comprehending the implications, perhaps I shouldn't have been so surprised by the command he gave me.

"Pikachu, drop the limiter."

I wished I could look back to my Trainer for confirmation. Taking my eyes off my opponent for even a moment was a bad idea though. And I could feel the confirmation, both in the tone of his voice and in the feelings conveyed over our bond. Where before would have been hesitation, was now nothing but full trust. He had said it before when he had sent in Staraptor against overwhelming odds. If we wanted to win this, he would have to trust in us. The same went vice versa.

Limiters were a lesser known but common practice actually. They were one other thing Ash had learned about from Leaf. Usually they would only be used by either the highest Elites or more commonly by Gym Leaders to provide an adequate difficulty for challengers. The specialized devices which came in form of small microchips implanted into the skin came in great variety but mainly they were just what their name suggested. Limiting a Pokémon's ability to certain degrees, they could be applied to overall skills or just specific areas.

When I had breached my limit fairly early in training, we had quickly discovered an astonishing but also problematic aspect. I had simply become too fast. Ash couldn't keep up anymore. Normally that wouldn't be a problem since few others would be able to either. However, being unable to keep track hindered our performance and it interfered with our link. So we decided to use a limiter to seal away the upper twenty percent of my top most speed.

Now, there was no choice. Ash was right about that. Still the trust he put into me because of that was heartwarming. It meant much more than anyone could ever really understand. This was his big battle, the realization of his dream. And he was willing to give a big part of the control away. For a Trainer, not to be in control of a battle was generally a bad thing. In this case, however, it spoke greatly of the trust Ash had in me. I would for a great part be on my own, I would have to make a lot more decisions on my own... I would not disappoint my best friend.

Sending a small precise pulse towards the chip, I felt the locked away power exploding in a corona of yellow and light blue. The air around me crackled with raw elemental power as the other aspect of the limiter also came into play. Along with the enormous speed, I had become so attuned to my element where it was hard to properly control. I would end up pulling in electricity unintentional, just because I could. The power was overwhelming, dangerous and... exhausting. Due to the unique nature of my Limit Break I had made a jump in ability that would need many more months to bring under enough control where we wouldn't need to limit it anymore. Even now it was hard to bring the sudden released energy under control.

A flood of strength rushed along my link with Ash. Not just his own support, I could feel Dawn as well, very clearly. And there was Brock to some lesser extent. Yes, I couldn't let them all down. I would not let Ash and all of my other friends down. Gritting my teeth I forced the chaotic energy down and into a palpable aura around my body.

Umbreon had taken an involuntary step back. I saw no fear in her eyes but then again I never suspected it. She was so well-trained that I knew the extra power would at best give me a slight edge. I needed to make the best of it...

No. I would make the best of it.

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**(Dawn)**

"He has a limiter?!"

That would be fake-Leaf. I think even Cynthia was surprised. Brock knew but had never really seen the effect. Being Ash's sparring partner I knew all about it, of course. Along with the risks. It might only be a slight percentage that was affected by the limiter but even that could make a big difference in a fight like this. Giving away control completely to your Pokémon was at the same time a very risky step. Especially against an opponent as crafty as Leaf who seemed to be as much as if not even more in synch with her Pokémon than Ash and Pikachu were.

Ignoring the outburst from the fake girl, I watched the spectacle with a bit of wariness. I could feel Ash's resolve, Pikachu's readiness. If there was ever a chance for such a gamble to work, it was now. "Don't look away now," I said to everyone, not that it was necessary. No one would at this point. "This is going to end soon, one way or another." Pikachu wouldn't be able to fight at his limit like this for long.

Just as I said that Pikachu had finished taming the wild elemental storm and the sight was breathtaking. Like a fierce, mythical creature, Pikachu was bathed in an aura of lightning, making it hard to tell where the cloak ended and the body began. In a flash, he moved forward and this time drove an enormous Thunderbolt into his opponent. Umbreon was sent reeling and Pikachu already pressed the attack, effortlessly dodging another Toxic shot and slamming his electric-charged tail into Umbreon's midsection.

To the casual viewer there was no real difference in terms of speed. All the inexperienced viewer would see was Pikachu suddenly connecting where it had always been evading before. And even Leaf was shocked by the sudden turnabout.

"You were right. I am not fast enough. The fault never lay with Pikachu," Ash spoke into the relative silence, the crowd for the moment mesmerized by the new turnabout. "Whereas you have more experience following at this level of speed, I do not. That is something you cannot learn in just three months. So... all I have left now is to stop trying and trust Pikachu to do the right thing." Even as he spoke Pikachu was moving again, pushing Umbreon back who had stopped trying to evade by small margins. That gave all the momentum to Pikachu though who phased back into view behind Leaf's Pokémon. "Pikachu, Lightning Dragon!"

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**(Ash)**

Trust. I never ever did not trust my Pokémon and that went triple for Pikachu. However, that kind of trust was born out of the combination Trainer and Pokémon, the unity that was created and built during battle. Giving part of it away on one end wasn't easy, especially not for the Trainer. In fact, a caught Pokémon was often the one that gave away far more from its own freedom. Most Pokémon would become so dependent on their Trainer's commands that they couldn't even do the most basic and logical thing like trying to evade an incoming attack. Right now, the situation for Pikachu and me was somewhat reversed, though in a strange way. After all, it was still Pikachu who did the fighting and I was still giving orders but much more in between had shifted to Pikachu's own judgment.

I was not worried. All these years, all the hardships. Pikachu and I didn't really need a bond. We were already so much of like mind that the other could easily predict what the other wanted just by simply... knowing. We had the clear advantage now and we needed to press it.

Formed out of the same mix of yellow and blue electricity, the aptly named attack took the form of a well-sized dragon made of lightning, a long serpentine lizard that made to swallow Umbreon whole. The hasty Protect only did so much and merely buffered the damage as the attack struck.

However, Pikachu was already ready for the follow-up. We needed to pull out all the big guns now before Leaf got her bearings back and pulled out another surprise – which I had no doubt she still had. Jumping after the Lightning Dragon, Pikachu became a blazing, brilliant light in the sky as he dived for his opponent looking like a ferocious beast of legend ready to devour its prey. "God of Thunder!"

There was indeed a vicious thunderclap that rattled the arena as the full-on attack which was similar in nature to a Volt Tackle but much more potent in terms of elemental energy crashed into Umbreon. Dust was kicked up and momentarily hid the fighters from view. I could, however, sense an astonished reaction from Pikachu and already knew this hadn't worked the way it should.

When the dust cloud finally dissipated, I too, stared in wonder at the sphere of pitch black surrounding Umbreon, the last of Pikachu's powerful attack being drained away as if it was just a little shock.

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**(Leaf)**

"I call this one: Black Hole," I commented to the stunned Ash. No doubt he had thought to have surprised me enough that he could decide the match in his favor. And I was surprised. For several long moments I was so stunned by the new development that Pikachu could have simply overwhelmed us. I had expected a hard fight but not quite something like this. This jump in ability and elemental mastery wasn't something a regular Limit Break or my training program could achieve, no matter how good a Pokémon was. I should know after all. There was only one explanation that would justify what I was seeing...

"You are not the only one with advanced elemental manipulation," I said. "Shadow Wave!" The sphere pulsed with the absorbed power it had been collecting before pushing it outwards in a sudden and fast manner, leaving a long trench of sizzling energy in the path where Pikachu had been standing a moment before. Ash didn't look so certain anymore. "I don't really like to use this. Congratulations, Ashy. You really pushed me further than I thought."

Elemental manipulation of the primary element associated with a Pokémon was something that usually would take decades to master in such a way. Unless the method with which a Pokémon broke their natural limit was the other, lesser known version. Well, lesser known was not quite right. Older Pokémon could reach this stage naturally at some point. All it took was insight, concentration and an inner harmony with oneself and their surroundings. Usually such a state would be achieved by meditation or similar methods of focus. It had little to do with strength and more with... for lack of a better word enlightenment. For younger Pokémon trying to attain their Limit Break this way was rare and required an even stronger bond between Trainer and Pokémon than the other method. I couldn't really say more about it since this was a process that was deeply personal, unique and different for every Pokémon.

The result, however, was mostly the same. If one were to use the old discarded level system as a measurement. A Pokémon attaining Limit Break in this way would make a jump of between twenty and fifty levels in one go, with a focus on greatly heightening the individually strongest skill – in Pikachu's case: speed – and their control over the element they were attuned to. In hindsight, I should have seen it. I should have seen it during Ash's last match but had attributed Pikachu's attacks to merely the result of good training and clever creativity with new attacks.

Too bad Pikachu wasn't the only one here with such tricks. Black Hole was a technique developed and perfected through almost a year of painstaking training, experimentation and even more training. I could proudly claim it might be the Ultimate Defense. Unlike Pikachu, Shadow would always be and stay a defensive type and thus this technique was perfect for her.

Just as Pikachu was learning now, the bubble of dark energy acted much like its namesake, consuming energy like a bottomless pit, regardless how much or how concentrated. Even physical attacks created energy to move and generate enough impact to actually do damage and were thus easily rendered useless. Not to mention the shield wasn't just energy either but very much solid. Unlike with Lemuria's intangibility, Black Hole wouldn't run out of fuel unless Shadow did and I knew she could keep going for awhile, much longer than I believed Pikachu could move with this much concentrated energy.

Of course, it would hardly be a practical move if everything Black Hole did was absorb and grant a state of invulnerability. Time and again Pikachu had his own attacks returned to him in various shapes, keeping him more busy with evading his own failed and returned attempts to breach the shield than making any sort of headway.

Oh, I was definitely impressed. The severity and speed of the attacks hammering onto Shadow's form were perfect. Flawlessly executed, with more power than anything Shadow ever had to face in this state. Pikachu was so fast I had trouble keeping up and that despite – as Ash had correctly determined – my eyes being much more used to this level of combat. Any other opponent would have been long overwhelmed and utterly destroyed. For Black Hole though, it was all just fuel and the longer Ash kept it up, the less energy Shadow had to put into the move herself. And the phenomenal speed boost Pikachu had attained was all but useless.

That didn't stop them from trying and I didn't expect them too. So far nothing had seemed to work but now Pikachu was getting ready for the move he had shown in his last fight. So far there had been no use trying. The attack required precision and Shadow would easily be fast enough to clear the impact radius in time. Not anymore. I didn't know if Ash had realized it yet but I would have been surprised if he hadn't. The one flaw with Black Hole and why I didn't like using it, was that it pretty much confined Shadow to one place. Any movement on her part would not only disrupt the technique but could seriously hurt her as well. As it was, Shadow was in the very center of a sphere that once in place couldn't be moved. Leaving this place would mean leaving not only the safety but also get affected by the very powers that were so easily absorbing great amounts of energy. Not that Shadow would get sucked in or something but the consequences were still rather severe.

"Thunderstorm!"

Of course, I had yet to see an attack that could breach this defense. Perhaps Cynthia could come up with something. I really, really had wanted to keep this secret for awhile longer to surprise the Champion with this. Now she and the other Elites had time to prepare...

Ah well. If even the level of that concentrated lightning couldn't disrupt it, I doubted they'd have an easy time with it. Time for the finish. Pikachu had just given me enough fuel to pull of our perhaps most dangerous counter while in this state. And Pikachu seemed sufficiently winded, too.

This was the moment. The moment that would decide it all.

"Convert! Now, Dark Inferno!"

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**(Ash)**

There was barely any time to react and that time was far too short. Even if I had been able to, the last attack had left Pikachu for a moment vulnerable. I had not expected the almost immediate reaction and the severity with which what one would best describe as a circle of angry black flames erupted outwards, rushing over everything in its path.

I lurched forward, grabbing the rails of the platform with an iron grip, although I wasn't even aware of how much. The literal inferno obscured everything and I had no idea what was going on. _Come on, Pikachu. Don't give up now._ It was the best I could do once again. Trust. Belief. Almost everyone would have said it was over by that point. There was no way Pikachu would still be standing. However, only Leaf and I truly understood the nature of this battle. Not just because of similar training or the fact that both of our Pokémon were on an almost equal level of experiences; some others watching could understand that. No, in a battle like this, the Trainers would eventually get lost in the consciousness it had developed. There was just us and our Pokémon. And we all knew that everything was possible today.

Forcing my anxiety down I closed my eyes briefly, trying to find any response from Pikachu over the link. In the back I felt Dawn's comforting presence and steadfast support and drew on it to plunge further ahead... into a new awareness.

Looking back that was the point where our link became as perfect as Leaf and Shadow's. Not just a shared mental link but a true merging. I knew even before the flames cleared and the shocked reaction from the audience that Pikachu was alright. Instinctively he had pulled a dense cloak of lightning around himself, applying almost a similar principle as Leaf's Black Hole. It hadn't completely stopped the damage but enough to dampen the effects to manageable levels.

Panting hard, slightly charred, definitely looking worse for wear, yet still standing. I couldn't be more proud. And now. Now, nothing would stop us. By employing the technique, Leaf had practically left me with little other choice and the perfect setup for our own ultimate move. Funny, I had dreaded using it so much, even after verifying it as barely battle-ready yesterday. At this moment, all the factors were in place. The bond between Pikachu and me was never stronger, the determination never greater. And with Umbreon now a stationary target with a colossal defense that had successfully repelled all of our attacks to this point, the last hindrance had also fallen away.

"Begin sequence," I said unnecessarily even as Pikachu sped forward to finally bring an end to this conflict. One way or another.

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**(Dawn)**

There was no one sitting anymore in the arena. I could safely vouch for that even without needing to see. The atmosphere had became a simmering quiet, waiting with bated breath and eagerly anticipating the end to a match I was sure they would be talking about ages to come, ready to explode once everything was said and done.

My heart must have stopped when I saw Pikachu enveloped in the attack. If I didn't know any better, the potency looked almost... lethal. These two were made of much sterner stuff though. Regardless, relief surged through me when I saw Pikachu standing at the epicenter, like a light opposing the darkness trying to consume him.

"He's going to do IT," I breathed when I heard Ash's announcement and saw Pikachu launch into what looked like a normal Volt Tackle. "Before anyone asks... I have no clue whatsoever. Ash wouldn't even tell me." No one did ask, too spellbound to try. Pikachu's attack seemed feeble, desperately helpless in light of what he had already tried just moments before. Of course, it never was meant as an attack. In fact, Pikachu streaked right past Umbreon, veering off in a broad curve to gain even more speed before coming back around. All that in the span of bare seconds.

Before anyone, obviously Leaf included, realized what Ash and Pikachu were up to, it was too late. Pikachu had already completely a first circle around his opponent. A literal whirlwind of acceleration, I couldn't tell from here just what exactly he was up to until moments later I began to see the tiny sparks in his wake. Leaf did, too, and made to give a command before Ash interrupted, his voice confident and almost ominous in his certainty.

"I would keep the barrier, it's too late to get out now and you'll need all the defense you have." And Leaf swallowed her command, whether from believing him or simply realizing the same thing I didn't know. By now a small ring of static electricity had been woven around Umbreon. It was, however, the small tangible objects that looked much like miniature lightning bolts – or simply put resembling Pikachu's tail – arrayed within the circle. I wondered what these were...

"Nodes," Cynthia gasped in understanding and then I did, too.

"Phase Two," Ash instructed calmly.

In mid dash, Pikachu launched diagonally into the air, ascending to a point right above Umbreon caught in the very center. To everyone's and my own shock the electricity was following Pikachu upwards from every one of the "nodes", creating a cage of lightning formed roughly like a pyramid with Pikachu at the very top, practically coming to float in the air above Umbreon. The energy flowed right into his tail building up more and more power while still holding the imprisoning aspect of the technique. _Like a feedback loop_, I mused in comprehension. There was so much power, I could feel it from here. The air was heavily charged and it made me shiver. I understood now why Ash had made such a secret of this and why he found it too dangerous to use. With this much gathered power, an attack would be lethal to any lesser being. Not with Umbreon's shield though.

Now it was the ultimate defense against the ultimate attack.

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**(Ash)**

Once caught in the net, there was no escape. The voltage flowing back and forth from Pikachu to the nodes was so high it would at the very least badly burn every Pokémon attempting to escape.

I could feel Pikachu's struggle to contain and focus the enormous elemental power, much more acutely than ever before. And then there was a sense of serenity. Pikachu had become one with his element and there was no hesitation, no struggle. His tail was glowing so bright it hurt to look at. The clouds from the last Thunderstorm had not dispersed and the air was humming in anticipation from the power about to be unleashed.

"Phase 3..." For a moment I closed my eyes, all too aware that this was the moment everything would come to an end. Then I focused once more and released everything. All the adrenaline, the anxiety, the frustration, the hope, the trust, the confidence, every emotion generated and pushed to its limit throughout this battle.

"Thor's Hammer!"

With a resounding clap of thunder that shook the island Pikachu fell, the lightning-charged tail crashing mercilessly on the sphere of darkness standing in the way of our victory.

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**(Leaf)**

_Ash... You really are something else._

I could only stare in awe at the truly fearsome "attack". Attack seemed so mild and utterly unsuitable a term to describe what I was witnessing. There was nothing I could do anymore either.

I winced as Pikachu's tail – or hammer would truly be more apt – crashed into Shadow's Black Hole. For a long moment it seemed to hold. But I knew better already. There was not even a beginning of absorption. Then Pikachu pushed harder with a loud cry of exertion and sheer willpower. A first crack formed, then another, then a spider web of fissures burst over the moments ago impenetrable-seeming sphere before shattering altogether...

THEN the dome of lightning collapsed and rushed after its creator towards Shadow.

I closed my eyes even before the flash of light from the impact filled the arena. This match... was over.

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**(Ash)**

Blinking slowly against the receding light, I began to make out details again... and gaped.

In the center of the explosion stood Pikachu, on the verge of collapse, sheer willpower holding him up and certainly unable to produce even a spark at the moment. What was even more amazing was that opposite to him, Umbreon was also standing. My heart lurched for a moment, resignation beginning to fill the void of released emotions. Before it could take hold though I saw more clearly the state in which Umbreon was in. Sparks were still dancing all over her body and she made not a sign to move, even from fatigue. And I doubted she would again anytime soon. Umbreon might have "survived" the attack but was completely and utterly paralyzed.

I looked over to Leaf to see her reaction, not daring to give into any emotion just yet. We were at an impasse. Umbreon could clearly not continue but Pikachu was too weak to do anything about it.

Leaf had her eyes still closed when she asked. "I have just one question. Was that last attack at full power?"

Observant as always. Even in the very last moments of a climactic battle.

"No."

Releasing a sigh, Leaf finally looked at me and what I saw had me smile thinly. Pride. "I see. Referee, Shadow can't continue and wouldn't even be standing if that last attack had had any more strength. We surrender."

Stupefied, I stared at my old friend. But there was no regret, no second-guessing her decision. I understood without needing words. She had given it her all and considered it her loss. Her loss... I might have mused about whether or not I felt good about the way it ended, if the implications about the decision hadn't crept up on me just then. Leaf lost which meant I...

"Trainer Leaf has forfeited! Therefore the match goes to Pikachu! The winner and new Sinnoh League Champion... Ash Ketchum!"

I had won.

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**Author's Note**

*pants*

Phew... Hah... Give me a moment...

Right. Finally done! I wrote those last few scenes in one session and am suffering adrenaline rush still. As for Maia... *looks at muse fainted on the ground* Uh huh, something like that.

Man, what a monster. This episode just... Would. Not. End. But, it was so worth it, I believe. I am not much for self-praise, in fact I find myself to be one of my greatest critics when it comes to writing and there were parts I wasn't quite satisfied with in here, but the final fight practically wrote itself. It was like a train without a break, steadily gaining speed until it pretty much runs on its own and then there's the point of no return. Yes, like Back to The Future 3, exactly. I was worried about getting the final battle just right the most. However, I believe I did a good job. At least I am satisfied... the rest is up to you to review.

As for the fights. Let's go in order. The whole Staraptor/Buizel VS Tyranitar sequence took much longer than I anticipated. It just wouldn't end. And no, I had it planned out roughly like that, just took a lot longer to write out than anticipated. I bet no one saw Buizel eventually getting the win, right?

I'm at odds about the Staraptor VS Mismagius fight. At first I was half tempted to rewrite it, then looking back over it now, I feel it suffices at least. I just honestly couldn't get a good feel for this one and struggled to come with a more detailed outline compared to the other parts. I hope you find it at least decent.

The last battle, of course was truly massive. Just as I wanted it to be. You probably noticed how I often, especially towards the end, had the scenes a little shorter but with more perspective switches. That was necessary to create the atmosphere and catch the battle from all angles, mostly Ash and Leaf's but some from Pikachu and outside view as well. Hopefully I managed to execute this intent properly.

Both of the first new attacks by Pikachu were more spur of the moment things. The last one I had up in my head for a very, very long time to be used in different scenarios... this story idea was just the first to get out. I don't even know how long I had the basic idea, I think I had it even planned for the eventual finish of the tournament of the original TFSTTM that never got written. Yup, it's that old... but hopefully not rotten yet. ^_^

I know I sprang the alternate way of a Limit Break on you guys right there in the middle. And I'm sorry it sounds a little half-baked and confusing. The truth is, I really have too little a grasp on it yet myself! *sweatdrop* I left it vague on purpose for now and will definitely address it more in Act 2... whenever I shall get to that. It's quite possible that by that point I will go back and revise the explanations a little.

All that is left at this point is one more episode to wrap up the first arc nicely. There are quite a few things left I want do but it's mostly tying up loose ends and, of course, celebrations.

I hope you had as much fun reading as I had in writing this. The episode was a lot of work but also rather intense. We are hungry now, so we need lots and lots of reviews, comments or otherwise!

*Maia briefly sits up.* "Foooood!"

Right, you heard the muse. The more we get, the sooner we'll be able to wrap up this arc for good.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias aka MysticMew


	9. 0108: After the Dream?

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: First Arc, Eighth Episode

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

First of all. Thank you guys for the enthusiastic reviews. Those of you who did leave one, really filled me with happiness. I was very glad the last chapter was as well received as I felt while writing it. Some issues to attend.

XoreandoX: Thanks for the hint. I did indeed not catch this one. Of course that was probably more a typo overlooked than a logic error but thanks all the same.

LIONclaw: Excuse me? "What's next?"?! Come on, you can do better. That is such a lame, predictable title. I rather orientate myself on the Japanese concept of double sentences/exclamations. Makes for much flashier titles, wouldn't you say?

A thanks also goes to RTMac1989 whom I already thanked privately. I left a note at the beginning of last chapter but for all of you who didn't go back and read it again since then, I'll say it once more. RTMac1989 has made me aware that the "é" in Pokémon was missing all the time. Geez, once again, why has no one said anything the entire time? I write in Word, I convert in Word to HTML, I don't usually go check if every little detail shows up right on ff . net. Should have known better. It was bad when I started writing, it's even worse now in my opinion. This is why I urge you to go and read the release on my own page. Formatting goes crazy when you upload things on this site (such as no first row tab stops for you). I already make a separate file where I pre-edit the header or my links will get completely swallowed. That they can't even properly convert an "é" is just sad...

Well, after finding out I actually can convert to Open Document Format which is the most supported on ff . net, I would use this from now but when I uploaded I got a weird word count. There were like well over 3000 words missing even though looking through it I couldn't find any passages missing on first glance... Anyone else has this problem?

So, from now, I'll just use plain and simple .doc format since for some stupid reason you can't upload .docx. But .doc seems to retain almost everything sans tabs. I will also go back and replace all the other chapters later. I just noticed myself when uploading that not just the é got swallowed but also some other auto formatting like "-" which makes for some very stupid-looking sentences... I really wished someone would tell me. Oh well, now I think I have caught everything, I hope. What a hassle...

Here's the last episode of this arc now. I had quite a lot to write still, so it's going to be big again. However, a lot more relaxed compared to the last two.

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**(Narrator)**

"Finally it is done. In a battle that would surely make history Ash claimed victory over his old friend and final opponent Leaf in the Sinnoh League Championship! Now, what shall await our hero next now that he has fulfilled his dream?"

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

First Arc: Breaking the Limit

Episode 8: After the Dream? The True Values of a Master!

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**(Ash)**

As the platform was slowly lowered down to ground level, I was gradually becoming aware of my surroundings. During the match it had been easy to forget that Leaf, I and our Pokémon were not the only ones in the stadium. The spectators were loudly cheering and clapping but it was still kind of blurry to me. Reality had a hard time penetrating my jumbled thoughts and the adrenaline-induced post battle rush.

I had won. I was...

I still couldn't fully wrap my mind across the concept. The announcement of the referee was stuck in my head and I knew I should be dancing in joy, yet couldn't quite make myself do so yet.

Instead, as soon as I was able to, I jumped from the platform and with quick steps strode over to Pikachu. My best friend who had fought so valiantly, with such overwhelming devotion to my... to OUR dream had all but collapsed as soon as the official declaration was made. Kneeling down to pick up my partner, I could still feel the residue heat from all the elemental attacks but especially from the last impact of Pikachu's decisive blow.

"How are you feeling, buddy?"

Pikachu gave a long moan. "Piikaaa... Pikachu. Pi, Pika, Pi, Chuu? (Shitty! We won, didn't we?)"

Somehow hearing Pikachu say it, started to make it more real. I smiled softly. "Yeah... I guess we did. You were great." I had little else to say to express how infinitely grateful I was. Without Pikachu's effort and unwavering will we couldn't have made it.

"Pika, Pikachu! Chu, Pika! (We all did it! Together!)" And once again my best friend was right. Not just him. The entire team had done exceptionally. They even went far past any prior training results. Buizel and Staraptor had certainly exceeded any expectations.

Scooping up Pikachu, I settled him on my shoulder, just then noticing that Leaf was just a few feet away, tending to Umbreon. "Is she alright?" I asked a little worried. Everything had gone over well with the last attack but I still was wary of the sheer power. I hoped Pikachu didn't do too severe damage.

Leaf shook her head. "I think so. Man, good thing I gave in when I did. The ref would have only needed to take a look. She's out cold on her feet!" With that she slipped a berry into Umbreon's mouth before finally looking up to me. "Congratulations... Champion."

I think it was my best human friend from when we were kids, my opponent in this match, my quasi rival for years spelling it out in words that finally drove the point home. I made it... We made it. We had won the final. We had won the Sinnoh League!

And the dam broke.

Some months ago I would probably have been running crazy all over the field already but even my newfound calm couldn't hold against the pure joy bubbling to the surface, not just demanding to be let outside but simply doing. "Woohoo!" I jumped into the air. "We did it! We won the Sinnoh League!"

Pikachu on my shoulder was clinging on for dear life but laughing and cheering just the same, tired but happy. All those months of training, the hard preparations. I had set out with the clear goal to win for real this time. Nothing else had been an option. Yet fighting Leaf had been so intense, so much harder than everything I had imagined facing... It was over now. That dream that I had started to wonder when I was ever going to reach it just a short time ago, back on the ferry to this island, was firmly in my grasp now.

"Ash!" Just like my girlfriend nearly bowling me over as she jumped into my arms! Before I could even ask how she had managed to get down here – or scratch that and make it how she had gotten down here so fast –, Dawn hugged me tightly, love and pride shining in her eyes which alone would have made me swallow such an unimportant question. Of course, she had a far more effective way to do so. "You were fantastic!" With that she kissed me. Right in front of the entire stadium, hell everyone in the world who was watching...

And I frankly couldn't care less.

Well, maybe I felt a little guilty over Pikachu's angry protests to almost getting squished...

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**(Dawn)**

My heart definitely stopped and restarted at least a few times during the last moments of the match. While it might be presumptuous to say this, I might as well have stood on that platform myself. Ash and I had gone through the same training and the outcome was just as important to him as it was to me now. For one thing, his victory meant success in our shared efforts and showed me that I could achieve the same if I kept up the effort. Also, in these last months, Ash's happiness had become very important to me and as such his dream had just as much become mine. I doubt I could adequately comprehend what he was feeling right now, however, I came at least close.

So, the moment it was all over, I didn't even think about it before I was ready to head for the exit, the urge to make it towards Ash the most important thing right now. Being in this state it took me several seconds already airborne to realize I was floating out of the VIP box and down the rows – some spectators gaping but most of them too busy cheering and clapping to really take notice. Looking back towards where I came from, I saw the reason for my sudden descent and felt like slapping myself. Of course, I should have known it was them. Sure, I had not expected to see either one here of all places, certain they had already long returned home but it made a lot of sense now.

Balanced on the edge of the box with a grin, little Zorua winked at me and I smiled back briefly in gratitude before I was already down on the arena floor, the last bit of... shadows that had transported me down vanishing like wisps in the wind. Perhaps I should have had more questions about this particular revelation.

At any other time, yes. Right now, all I saw was Ash. A proud smile slipped on my face seeing him finally let loose and celebrate. He had really matured in this short time but underneath was still the energetic, enthusiastic boy I had fallen in love with. And that was a good thing.

When I look back on it, it must have been the entire atmosphere, the tension from the battle, the suspense that had kept building up. Much later I would feel embarrassed about jumping him like that and even more so about kissing him right there when we had just taken that step last night to begin with. At that moment, all I wanted was to express my happiness at his success... and perhaps a small part of me wanted to make sure that everyone knew he was taken. God knows, Ash had been generating enough of a public hype already.

"Now that is a proper finish for a great battle!" the announcer whom I had honestly blocked out throughout the entire match interrupted our moment.

Pulling away, I blushed slightly. But when I saw him giving me a somewhat silly grin, I couldn't help but return it.

"Let's give another round of applause to our new Sinnoh Champion: Ash Ketchum!"

And once again the stadium erupted into thunderous cheers, soon turning into cheers of "Ash! Ash!". My boyfriend – it still felt a little weird to actually think it – was taking it all in with a great deal of wonder. "Yes, this is all for you," I said. "They are all cheering for you." Boldly I grabbed his hand and raised it up, generating another roar of approval from the crowd. "You deserve it."

And then, slowly but unstoppable every composure slipped away and his expression changed to one of childish glee and unbound happiness.

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**(Leaf)**

I watched a bit wistfully as Ash and Dawn were celebrating. The ice had finally broken and I was glad to see some of the old Ash. He deserved to let go now and I had always liked his sometimes overly-energetic but always cheerful antics. He lived for his Pokémon and his dreams. I still knew all too well how it felt when I won my first tournament. Unlike him I didn't have so many special people to celebrate it with but that didn't lessen the effect at all.

Shadow let out a low moan and I ran a hand over her fur. "It's okay. You did all you could." I could say in complete honesty that Ash had fulfilled and even surpassed my expectations. None of my challenges in the Leagues or other competitions had ever been so hard. I wouldn't just say because it was Ash, but because he had become an amazing Trainer, all he had really needed was the right tools and the final push to see this. The training alone couldn't have done it. He already had everything he needed before, now his Pokémon had the strength and ability to manifest all he could give them.

And just look at how he did exactly that. Pikachu's level of elemental manipulation had definitely been far further along than I had ever expected. That last move was something I didn't think I could have come up with but I understood the basic principle and the sheer potency it could develop. The amount of control necessary, not just to master the flow of electricity in order to generate that much power but also to actually limit it precisely enough, was gigantic. That Pikachu could pull it off was actual somewhat frightening. It spoke of a degree of mastery more associated with what my recent partners had started to introduce me to and really shouldn't be possible at this point.

In the end, I had learned a few valuable lessons today. Ash had surprised me with many ideas I hadn't even thought about, even though I had been fairly certain to know him well enough to guess his intentions. That just proved once again that even as a Champion, even as a Master, you should and would never stop learning. There was always so much more you hadn't seen yet. If I could have my way, I might actual take that cue and act on it but I had promised Cynthia. Besides... with all that I knew would be coming, being in a position of official authority would be for the best.

"Umb... Umbreon."

I laughed a little. "No, I didn't go easy on him and I am a little miffed at losing." Of course I was, the match was just too intense not to be. But I could take it in stride. I believe I did keep my end of the promise, however, it might not have been the proper time for it after all. For me, from the start, this battle had been about testing Ash. It didn't lessen my effort, yet he on the other hand... "I think... he just wanted to win that little bit more today." For Ash it had been about the title, for his dream and certainly for his girlfriend too! Today I couldn't quite compete with that motivation.

No, our REAL match, the one we promised each other, would have to wait. This stage was already too small for us, that much we both proved. Yes, the stage we were looking for would be in the finals of the Master League. Competing for the very top. Only that would suffice.

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

"And what are your plans for the future? Perhaps something involving a certain lady?"

I chuckled at the flush of embarrassment on Ash's face. He had changed so much but there was still so much of the kid that I had traveled with just some years ago. _Well, how will you deal with the fame, Ash_, I thought slightly amused but also a little worried. I knew fame... indirectly from my sisters and more directly from the attention the recent success of our... MY gym had brought. And while it was nice to have the recognition, media could quickly eat you alive if you weren't prepared. For once my sisters had been useful to prepare me for something.

Of course, the attention I had these days was just like a droplet compared to the tsunami Ash had created with his performance.

"I am not sure yet. However, I know, even winning today, I still have a long way to go before I can really call myself a Master. Right now... I'm just the happiest person in the world." With that he pulled the girl with him, Dawn was her name or so Brock had said, close and gave a victory sign to the camera.

Smiling softly, I clicked off the TV. You _have actually matured some._ The thought made me a little... wistful. Not jealous or envious. There was no need for that. Whatever it was that might have been between us, it had long faded. As such, I wondered if it was ever anything stronger than confused feelings of kids starting to become teenagers. Still, sometimes I thought back and would begin to wonder what might have been if I had continued to travel with him, ignored my sisters and just did what I wanted back then.

However, that wouldn't have worked either. Even barring any romantic angle, I would have kept lying to myself. Pushed into this job as I had been, I still had found my calling in life as a gym leader. Travelling around had been a lot of fun but in the end I had been nothing but a tagalong. It had been Ash's journey, always. With those two, I didn't need Brock telling me to see that they were equals. Both with their own goals and supporting each other to fulfill them.

I couldn't ever have had something those two had while travelling with Ash. And that is what made me a little wistful, wondering if I could ever have someone like this. They seemed to fit perfectly together. I was actually happy for Ash. He seemed to have found that special person... even if I knew someone who might not be so happy about it.

Sighing, I made my way back to the pool. Being a gym leader was a full time job if you wanted to be serious about it. That left very little room for other things. Like meeting people, dates etc. It got kind of lonely. And now, after seeing that... awesome battle – honestly I had trouble finding an appropriate adjective for it –, I was left with mixed feelings. Yes, I loved what I did and I really had thought I had gotten somewhere, became stronger...

Just how much were the other, older gym leaders holding back, I wondered? Becoming a full gym leader I had learned about limiters but hadn't thought so much about it. Were all of their Pokémon limited, toned down to better suit a challenger? What did that mean for my achievements so far?

_I need to get stronger, too_, I resolved. Just like the girl Ash had been fighting. I had actually known who Leaf was before, at least from seeing some articles but had had no idea that Ash and her seemed to know each other though. I could honestly say I was impressed with her. Female Trainers were rare these days. Sure Cynthia was the Champion and there were several female Elites but more and more girls these days flocked to Contests. Not that I had anything against it. If they had been around when I grew up, I might have become a Coordinator, too. But someone my age who was so determined and skilled in battle, now that was something I could really respect and gave me the assurance that I could achieve the same if I tried hard enough.

Besides, she was kind of cute...

I shook my head for the reproaching thought and went back to my duties. After all a Gym Leader's work was never done!

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**Lily of the Valley Island (Brock)**

The party had been well underway for a couple of hours and it was approaching midnight. I doubted Ash would get much sleep, regardless of when he got to bed, excited as he was. The fight definitely had been a rush for him. Not to mention, he had been keeping his emotions all tightly controlled the entire time. Coupled with the full realization of his actual victory and you had a bundle of energy barely controlled enough not to play the clown in front of the numerous cameras that had hunted him after the match... As soon as we were out of the arena and relatively alone though, there was no holding him back anymore. Dawn and I had just taken it in stride, happy for him. He deserved to act out right now.

The party was actually a small affair. Aside from us and all of our friends and families that had come watching, there were only a few officials and a couple of unfamiliar faces who I believed all had some ties to the League. Ash had had to shake a lot of hands already, most people staying barely long enough to congratulate him on his victory and wish him luck for the future.

Now he had finally been able to make some time for actual dancing. Anyone who saw them now, would have to admit that they fit together very well. I was surprised Ash actually knew how to dance properly but even in that, he seemed to make a good figure today, him and Dawn giving off the perfect picture of a happy and content couple... I bet a lot of girls were jealous right now. So far he hadn't danced with anyone else but an obligatory dance with his mother and Cynthia.

I might have been envious of the attention Ash was getting but that was hardly the appropriate moment for it. He had earned himself the recognition and attention and dealing with it wasn't that easy either.

"Excuse me?" Now if only someone would dance with me. Someone pretty and preferably single, of course... "Excuse me?" That would be... Huh, what?

Registering the most angelic voice I had ever heard – and I had a lot to compare with! –, I looked up to see a girl just around my age, a vision of beauty that matched the voice. And I wasn't exaggerating. No, not at all. I know I often did but this... this was... perfect! A couple of inches shorter than me perhaps, a slim but not-overly-so built, blonde hair with a reddish tint and the most enchanting pale green eyes. The midnight blue evening gown was fitting her rather nicely. She couldn't be much older than me... if at all. So why did I get so affected... But, she was just...

"Um, would you like to dance?"

Huh? What? No way! A pretty girl – whom I was actually attracted to – was asking me to dance?! For several seconds I was so floored, unprepared and unable to deal with this world-shaking phenomena that I was probably just staring dumbly. Eventually though my instincts kicked in and I mentally bashed myself over the head a few times to seize this golden opportunity!

Standing, I offered a slight bow. "Ah, forgive me, my thoughts were elsewhere. Of course I would be glad to dance with such a charming young lady." With that I held out my hand, the first notes of a new song just starting.

I was relieved and actually quite intrigued that the girl wasn't put off by my speech but merely laughed merrily. Such a beautiful voice! "Glad to hear it."

And then her hand was in mine. I had no idea that this encounter would actually define my future...

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**(Dawn)**

"Hey."

For a moment I just stared, then I grinned happily at the person I hadn't expected to see for awhile. "Zoey! What are you doing here?" It felt like ages since we've been fighting it out at the Grand Festival and not just a few months. Events before and after our little training trip that had changed so much, both professional and privately, seemed like they were part of two different worlds. I felt a little guilty, not thinking about my rival and friend at all in this time.

The redhead returned the grin. "I got an invite. Just got here today actually that's why you didn't see me earlier. At first I didn't want to come but... I got curious." The way she said this sounded off somewhat. And her eyes had a weird, intense look that made me actually nervous. What was up with her?

"Curious? Zoey, is something... wrong?"

The other Coordinator was silent for a few more moments that became rather uncomfortable. Then she let out a deep sigh, the tension melting away somewhat to be replaced by a somewhat morose atmosphere. "Just tell me this is not affecting your own goals." Not affecting my... Oh! I glanced towards where Ash and Leaf were dancing, both of them looked quite happy to talk to each other without all the battle tension in the way. Hard to think that they had been fighting as if their very life depended on it just hours ago.

"No, not at all. Actually, before we even made anything official, Ash said that he wanted to take some time off and get some more training in. So, I'll decide where we go next." I turned back to Zoey, seeing her relieved and then a bit embarrassed. I laughed lightly which only made her blush harder. It wasn't like I didn't understand her. If Zoey would just end up and quit just for a boy, I wouldn't be happy either. However, this was something dedicated people, regardless of whether they were Trainer, Coordinators or others who followed their dreams, had in common. "But, Zoey, it never was about who called the shots with Ash and I. We are equals in this and we both understand how important the other's dreams are."

Zoey smiled slightly. "I guess you are lucky then. And perhaps I am actually a little envious. You two fit so perfectly together..." She shook her head and then became serious. "As long as you keep up your effort and you are actually doing better like this, I have no complaints. Our last battle was a little too close. We both know it was more or less a draw. Once you feel ready, let's have another match."

Now that was better. I actually got all tingly at the thought. Zoey had been a lot of things on my journey. Friend, mentor, rival... If Leaf and Ash had promised to be each other's measuring grade, then it was similar for Zoey and I. At least I had always thought so from my end. Having it all but acknowledged was only making me look forward to fight her again some more.

"You better watch out. I trained right along with Ash for this. Maybe it's you that has to catch up."

Zoey didn't seem surprised or fazed. "I figured as much. But it remains to be seen if you can put what you learned to use on stage. I'm counting on you to win your next Festival. I'll be waiting then." She held out her hand with a confident grin and I took it without hesitating, squeezing tightly just as she did.

"Count on it."

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**(Ash)**

Not that I was complaining but all the attention was getting... exhausting. There was only so much handshaking and congratulations you could endure. At first it was very nice. All these people telling you how good you did and so on. At first you could really take the praise as a reward for your hard work. After hearing it over and over again, it began to lose its charm. Sure, I think another few days or weeks even were needed before I really got tired of people praising me. It WAS the confirmation for my success after all. Right now though, I was ready for some nice and quiet.

Dawn returned from her own dance with Leaf who hadn't been able to resist play flirting with her again and getting her all flustered. "Ready to get out of here?" she asked, plopping down on the chair next to me. Once again she knew exactly what I was feeling and I was rather glad about it.

"You think they let us?" I replied dubiously. I didn't want to appear ungrateful or anything. After all the party was organized by the League after all and I was the whole reason for it.

Gently Dawn took my hand. "It was a long day. No one will begrudge you if you want to have some rest... Besides, I think many of them are getting quite drunk... So they'll probably not even notice." I had to chuckle at that, kind of glad I was still too young for alcohol or I might have been tempted myself. We had only shared a glass of wine with Brock and the others.

"You are not a prisoner, Ash," a new voice interrupted and we both looked around to see Cynthia coming up to the corner where we had tried to keep a little hidden from the rest of the party. "You are free to leave anytime you wish but first... I'd like to have a word with you in private if you can spare the time."

I shared a look with Dawn, both of us probably thinking the same thing. Dawn's hand squeezed mine a little and I gave a warm smile back, before turning around once more and nodding to Cynthia. "Sure. Might as well."

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The Champion had led us – she made no fuss about Dawn tagging along – into a backroom. Once alone, she became serious, her tone immediately confirming the official aspect of this talk. "I assume you know what this is about?"

I nodded seriously. "I do. And I am afraid my answer will be the same as Leaf's back then. When I first heard about it, I didn't understand and I was upset. But now I know. Today's match was a very important step. Still... one Championship doesn't make a Master. There is still so much I need to learn before I can truly say I am ready for all the responsibilities that are coming with such a title." And, of course, I had made a promise to Dawn. When I had done that, I had mostly resolved with myself already that I would take that road and after the tournament I only found myself confirmed. I still had many issues to resolve. The training of my Pokémon was far from complete, I needed to have time to understand and make the best of my relationship with Dawn... and foremost I wanted to see Dawn succeed in her own dream, just like she had done for me.

I expected at least some disappointment from Cynthia but she didn't seem to be. In fact, she looked relieved and... happy? "And that is the mindset we are looking for in a Pokémon Master. Many young Trainers who win a tournament think they are now unbeatable. They never make it far. And while they'll be eligible for the Master League, they would never gain a full Master's license. The position carries a lot of influence but also much responsibility. You have all those qualities already that we are looking for in a Master, Ash."

There was a long silence after that. I really wasn't sure what to say about that. One thing was sure. I had been wrong. There was some praise that was definitely worth hearing even after the endless stream of the last hours. Cynthia's words meant a lot to me. However, they didn't change my decision. "Cynthia, that's... I'm really honored you think so, but..."

She held up a hand. "I know, you have your own plans and you are the type to stand by your decision. I can respect that. So... I would like to make you a different offer..."

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**(James)**

With the tournament closing, so had our surprisingly steady flow of income. Some business surely could be made tomorrow at the closing ceremony but that would be it then. I suppose our bandit's honor should be offended from making honest money but neither of us really cared about that. For years we had been barely scraping by, most of the money from Team Rocket quickly dried up and wasted on machines and gizmos that eventually ended up destroyed anyway.

That merchandise stall might have been honest work but it was satisfying, rewarding and we hadn't been constantly blasting off on top of that. So, really, no complaints there. The money might actually last us for a bit.

Also whether or not we should be earning honest money as a team of Pokémon thieves kind of paled as a question compared to the single piece of paper that had all our attention at the moment. "That's not good," Meowth spoke up what was on our minds. "Not good at all."

"You think he really means it?" I asked, grasping at false hope I knew. The kid had garnered a lot of attention in the tournament and frankly we had all agreed that right now, it wouldn't be a good idea to get involved with the twerps. They had grown so strong in the short time where they had slipped away from our pursuit for the months before the tournament, that it was downright scary. That just made the content of the page that had been delivered to us by letter all the more problematic.

"Don't be stupid. This is a direct order from the boss. He doesn't joke around... ever," Jessie snapped. Of course I knew this. We all knew this. Didn't make it any easier.

"So, what do we do?" Oh, we would deny it vehemently but the three of us had kind of grown attached to Ash and his group. Not to mention, none of us had really joined Team Rocket for something like this. Sure, stealing Pokémon and occasionally some other items was one thing, this was completely different.

"We follow the order," Meowth said without flinching. Both Jessie and I looked at him, somewhat aghast. "The first part isn't much different from what we usually do. And think about it... If we don't do it, the boss will send someone else."

I shuddered at some of these "others". "Like Tulip..." Jessie voiced one of the most prominent options. "Guess you are right. We have to do it."

"For now," I added.

"Right," both of my partners said. Our focus still returned to the ominous order on the table and the decision made did nothing to lift our unease.

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**(Ash)**

"Okay... Did you know about this?" Dawn asked. At my nonchalant shrug, she looked around. "Anyone?" No one could supply her with an affirmative and I had to admit I was kind of surprised as well. Not in a bad kind of way because this was actually rather interesting. Still hadn't expected to see Leaf and Cynthia have a showcase one on one battle at the ending ceremony.

The trophy awarding had been nice. Really, I still felt rather giddy and I definitely wouldn't give the trophy out of my hands any time soon. It was like this dream fantasy that I used to have a lot as a kid coming true. No, not "was like", just was. And it felt really, really good. The happiness was a little more on the quiet side today though. I had had some time to have it sink in and actually got a few hours of sleep in – surprisingly enough.

The trophy awarding wasn't the only ceremonial act though and I actually thought Leaf looked really cool with a traditional Master's cloak – not that most of them wear it outside of really, really formal functions. She was taking it well but I knew she was giddy inside. I could understand, being somewhat on the same trip. I knew I could have been right there with her but...

I fingered the badge that served as my prohibitory Master's License. No, I was rather glad with this solution. Cynthia had really surprised me with that one, although having had some time to think about it, I could see how it made sense and I was glad the League had decided on this new approach. Apparently Leaf's example had gotten them to think and they saw no reason to force young Champions who still had a bit of "maturing" to do but showed the right potential into their duties. So... technically I was already acknowledged a Master with this but I was granted an adjustment period. All... or at least most of the benefits – if I ever had need of them –, but none of the duties.

*We wouldn't give this to everyone. I know I can trust you not to abuse this. We might call on you if something really important comes up but it'll be your decision if you want to accept.*

As if he ever refused if anyone was ever in need of help. Still, this gave him some time to focus on everything he had planned and promised and not feel bad about it one way or another.

Focusing back on the match, I winced when Leaf's Pokémon took another nasty hit. I had been surprised by her choice. That Kangaskhan was really powerful and fast too despite the size... not that I should have expected less. You really didn't see many of them in Trainer battles. To be fair I wasn't exactly sure on the why but they really weren't that popular.

That one was getting his butt kicked, too. Regardless how good – and I had the suspicion it was one of Leaf's older Pokémon which meant it had a lot of experience – Garchomp was just... stronger. I would say overwhelmingly so, but knew better. "Watch closely. You'll be there soon," I told Gabite who I had let out of his Pokéball to watch the battle. He was a little miffed about yesterday since he had been put out so quickly, so I figured this might help to get him motivated again.

"This is rather one-sided," Dawn said after awhile, apparently having gotten over her minor fit over the surprise which I had found rather amusing. "I mean you guys were good yesterday. I didn't think..."

"Yes," I interrupted, "Cynthia is strong and Leaf is fighting seriously... But, her heart's not really in it. Not so soon after the final. I'd have trouble doing this right now, too. Hell, I'd probably be dust already. This really is just for show." And Leaf clearly wasn't ready to show Cynthia any more of what she could do just yet.

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**(Dawn)**

I suppose I was merely irritated this morning. Unlike Ash who had succumbed to a few hours of undisturbed sleep, I had had a lot more trouble doing the same. Cynthia's words, especially her warning, had bothered me far deeper than I had imagined at first. I didn't think it was anything but a friendly cautioning, yet somehow the Champion warning us that Team Rocket's activities had increased drastically over the last few months had disturbed me far more than it was obviously intended. And I didn't have any idea why...

Until I finally got to sleep, only to have another of these weird dreams that I barely remembered but touched and disturbed a part of me I didn't even know was there. All I remembered was some sort of battle, vague shapes of humans, to fuzzy in my memory except for one thing. The familiar red "R" on the front of their clothes... Logically speaking, it might have been nothing but a subconscious reaction to my earlier worries, yet I couldn't shake off the feeling that something big was awaiting us that would challenge our very existence... as ominous as that might sound.

*Keep the trust you and Ash have strong. It will surely be tested.* That had been Leaf's words last night when we had danced, delivered in a sudden moment of complete seriousness in between lighthearted talk... It had thrown me off but my mood had been too good to pay it much attention. Now these words came unbidden and I wondered what they meant and if Leaf and Cynthia knew more than they let on.

I was so occupied with my thoughts, I almost missed the end of the match. Berating myself for worrying about nothing but vagueness, I focused at least on the end of the battle. Ash was right, this was mostly for show and I believe after the spectacular final yesterday most of the audience understood that. I don't think I could have fought a serious match either right after the Grand Festival. The emotional rush was still there for days, lingering and only slowly fading.

In some ways it looked much like the fight between Staraptor and Tyranitar from yesterday. Garchomp was proving why it was said to be a fast flier and then some. I really had to wonder who was the faster flier Staraptor or Garchomp? It didn't seem like Cynthia wasn't fully serious either and I still had trouble keeping up.

Kangashkan was a bit faster than Tyranitar though and definitely calmer. Multiple devastating strike combinations that looked like a Dragon Rush executed within an Aerial Ace maneuver while glowing a faint yellow perhaps symbolizing some kind of earth elemental manipulation rained down on Kangashkan. To the critical eye that combination alone showed just why Cynthia was The Champion. Triple elemental combination, wow!

I had hardly ever seen her use something so flashy on TV, so that at least showed just how serious she took her opponent, showcase match or not. Even if Leaf was still getting thoroughly beaten, never getting in much more than a brief counter which would immediately be turned away, I was sure she was glad about such respect.

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**Location Unknown, Johto (May)**

"And with this, the Sinnoh League Conference has come to a close. Certainly we have been treated to an extraordinary event this year that will be hard to top. We hope-"

With a sigh I switched off the television, glad that I allowed myself the small luxury of a hotel room. I had been very lucky with the timing and just barely made it back for the final after the Johto Grand Festival. Sure, I had been aware that the tournament was going on right now but the dates had overlapped slightly and I didn't want to get distracted during the Grand Festival. Too bad that I hadn't made it. So close, too. The final round against Drew had been a tough one but in the end it wasn't quite enough.

Again. That was my third run now. Not that I was giving up, I had been too much inspired by Ash at the start of my journey to even think about it and look where his attitude had gotten him. That match had been... no, I wouldn't even try to label it. Suffice to say, I had never seen battling on such a scale and they had done it with such ease! I would have felt inadequate if not for the fact that I clearly wasn't the only one to react like this.

Still, what I had seen made several things clear to me. First of all, I still had a lot of work to do. Second that it was possible to achieve your goals through much hard work which was enough to push me onward even more. And lastly... that my lingering feelings had received quite the severe damper.

You couldn't really get more obvious than kissing on TV and in front of an entire arena full of spectators.

Well, it wasn't like I had expected much. As confusing as my feelings had been, I had hardly even started to disentangle them and could probably save myself the effort now...

Oh, who was I kidding? It had hurt. Not so much a bitter, heart-wrenching pain but more like a soft, regretful sadness. It certainly looked like they were happy together and I was actually quite happy for them. Still, I wished I could have had some more time to figure out my own heart. Yeah, right. As if well over a year wasn't enough. And I thought it would have been. But then, when we met again during the Wallace Cup and I had had everything I wanted to say planned out... That was when I met Dawn and everything suddenly became so... complicated.

"And now it's too late," I mused morosely. Story of my life I guess. I had always taken much too long to figure out what I wanted, eventually stumbled onto a path and had to apply much more time to adjustment. It had been that way when I started my journey. I didn't even want to go at first, not even very comfortable with the whole Pokémon thing. When I finally did, I had no clue what to do until I fell in love with Contests. Still, I had had no idea what I was really getting into, no preparations or anything. I suppose, with that in mind, I was actually doing fairly well.

Now, the situation was the same again. And I had no one else to blame but myself for my indecisiveness. I couldn't even be jealous.

After all... Who should I be jealous over?

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**Lily of the Valley Island (Leaf)**

I wasn't really upset about the loss. In the end I had actually managed to get a few good hits in. Cynthia had not given me many chances but I felt assured that with some more training, I could keep up if I got more serious. Had I not participated in the tournament as originally planned, I would have been able to give her more of a challenge. As it was, my objective here had been fulfilled already and the match from yesterday probably wouldn't be fully out of my system for a couple of days at least.

This time around, goodbye hadn't been so bittersweet. When I had left Pallet on my journey, I had felt some lingering regret about Ash staying behind. However, my decision proved to be the right one. Had we travelled together, I wonder how much either of us would have grown.

Sure, mutual competition might have been a great motivation, yet being so close could also have been a big hindrance to individual development. At best we would have turned out rather similar in style, being little more than copies of each other. No, it was for the best. Ash had definitely proven that he had grown into a strong Trainer by himself. A Master in anything but name... and even that was slightly different from my own path some years ago. He really had everything a Master needed already. Not so much the skill, that was something one could always improve on. However, the empathy, the close bond with his or any other Pokémon, his dedication and will. These were traits you couldn't really train and that defined someone who stood watchful between the world of humans and Pokémon.

I smiled grimly at the last thought. How very fitting. This status indeed was what would be tested the most in the months to come. I wished I could spare them some of the grief and I hadn't quite given up on the thought of preventing some of the events looming ominously on the horizon but at least I felt assured that he would be as ready as someone could be.

Wordlessly my newest companion appeared by my side, silent and almost betraying his very presence. Only after another minute of silence, did he speak. "I suppose you were right. He really has grown strong."

"And they are even stronger together," I remarked, thinking back on the comfortable closeness of Ash and Dawn upon their departure.

Once again my companion remained silent for a bit. When we had run into each other completely by surprise, I hadn't even known a Pokémon like that existed. Sure, I knew there were a lot of them over in Unova that weren't seen in these parts very often. Yet Zoroark and his companion, the pre-evolution Zorua were not your common, run-of-the-mill Pokémon. Especially not to meet in the danger of a heavy storm and a near catastrophic collision of two ships in the middle of the sea. All that remained unimportant compared to the information the older Pokémon had had to share.

"And that, too, will be tested," Zoroark spoke eventually, making me lift an eyebrow in question. "_The Chosen of the Air, the Maiden of Light, the Princess of Fire. Divided they will fall, united they stand tall._"

For a moment I stared... then felt like slapping myself. Of course, that was why my reaction to Dawn had been so... conflicted. Attracted on the one hand, yet strangely repelled on the other. Opposites in nature. I should have realized sooner.

Only then did the true meaning of my companion's words register and I had to agree with him. Their love would be tested but not quite in the way one might expect.

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**(Brock)**

"So, you're not coming along?" I wanted to know once more, more for something to say than to actually ask. The trip back from the island had been surprisingly relaxing. The benefits of travelling with the new Sinnoh Champion came through. Travelling with a private ship also meant no reporters, no hype, just relaxing. I think Ash and Dawn were the most happy about the quiet. They would have trouble enough to stay unnoticed in the next weeks, perhaps months. That match had made waves and the papers and news channels had been topping each other with superlatives.

"We'll stay for awhile. Dawn wants to think about where we are going," Ash said. "Should we end up in Kanto, we'll stop by and visit." If his mother was still here, he would probably have to endure another hug and praise of just how mature he had become. The same had happened when he had explained to her that and why he would keep travelling with Dawn... To his credit, he was taking it in stride, as much as one could with overly parental enthusiasm.

The rest of the group had went ahead though. The Professor had needed to return to the lab quickly and had chartered a flight straight from the island. I had opted to tag along back to Twinleaf, wanting to enjoy these last days together. No training, no tournament, just plain, old travelling. I would miss that. However, I might not have to wait long for the next chance.

"Have you decided what to do now?" Dawn asked, hitting right on my thoughts. "You didn't want to say but it sounded as if you had some inspiration."

I chuckled. "More like I met an inspiration." I couldn't help but laugh harder at the looks my friends were exchanging and giving back to me. Perplexed, confused and curious. Perhaps I was enjoying this a bit too much... Nah. "Don't worry about it. I call you when I make up my mind. Promise."

They both gave me another long, dubious look, then finally shrugged. Dawn stepped forward and I found myself enveloped in a big hug that made me wince. Damn, that conditioning had really paid off! "Take care, Brock. We want you to know that we wouldn't have been able to make it without you. Especially these last months. We couldn't have kept training like crazy without your help. Thank you."

Ash nodded after Dawn finally released the embrace. "That's right. We never did forget your effort and it will be a lot tougher without you. I hope you'll find your own path and that we get to travel together again someday."

Momentarily I had trouble keeping the tears away. It felt really good to hear these things. After all the action of the last days, the attention he had been getting, Ash had not lost himself. To hear my efforts had been appreciated so much only made the decision that was starting to shape in my mind all the much clearer. Often enough during the tournament I had felt myself being left behind. However, comparing myself to them and measuring myself against their standards was the wrong thing to do. I had my own dream to live and should measure myself on these standards.

Smiling I took Ash's initiative and rapped my fist against his own. "Don't make it sound as if this is forever. We never seem to stray too far and too long away from each other. In the meantime... remember what I taught you. You've both grown so much that I'm sure you can manage without me." Behind me the ship's horn sounded. "That would be my cue. Take care of each other, you two." At two indignant exclamations, I chuckled. "Of course, you as well, Pikachu and Piplup."

And with that I turned to hurry up the ramp. My future was a lot clearer now and I had the motivation to pursue it. The meeting pointing me towards this future might have come as a chance encounter, but the motivation I had earned in my travels with Ash and especially during the last months.

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**(Pikachu)**

"Well, looks like you are all better now. Just have some more rest to recharge," Professor Rowan said and removed the pads. I voiced my relief over that kind of freedom with a satisfied moan. Ash had been rather worried about my health for awhile after the tournament. While Professor Oak and the local Nurse Joy had assured us that no lasting side effects could be detected, Ash knew how straining the controlled version of Thor's Hammer was. Especially the controlled one. If I just let the elemental power run its course, I was little more than a conduct and final converter. Getting the power output just right that I didn't end up setting off something that would have gotten me disqualified was much harder and tended to overload me a little. That had been even more true for the one I used in the tournament. I had always trained this with the limiter on and I had to admit that without it, the experience was multiple times more intense. I hadn't really been concerned about it in the heat of battle but definitely felt the strain afterwards.

Ash and I both resolved not to use it again until we had a lot more training and experience. The result wasn't worth it, if I was too weakened afterwards to be of any use for days. Had Shadow not been completely paralyzed, prompting Leaf to submit, I wasn't sure how long I could have even kept on my feet.

That being said... Even exhaustion couldn't keep the elation away. I had been with Ash since the start of his journey and this victory meant as much to me as it did to him. I couldn't recall ever being in such an intense match. Sure, we had met our share of Legendaries – pretty much every one of them – and I had been in battles against overwhelming odds but none of these had pushed me so far and felt so good afterwards.

"Looks like someone is here to pick you up." I followed the professor's gaze and had a hard time suppressing the groan when I saw Lopunny bounding into the room. "Well, I'll leave you two alone." I glared after the laughing man but he paid it no mind. This wasn't the first time it happened after all. I think he got too much amusement out of this though.

Unlike usual Lopunny was more reserved as she hopped up on the chair next to the examination table. "You seem better."

I shrugged. "More or less. Just need some more rest but no after effects."

The lasting silence after that was actual rather uncomfortable. I should be glad about some quiet but had become so used to her flirting of the past days that it was a little eerie now. She had kept her promise not to press anything before the tournament was finished, only to start out full force pretty much the day after the final. That didn't really help me make up my mind though even if it was somewhat flattering.

"So," I broke the silence eventually. "Are Ash and Dawn coming?"

Lopunny shook her head. "Nope. They had to do some shopping." And left him to her mercy. Oh well, at the moment he really was in too good a mood to care.

"You want to do something?"

Lopunny's almost solemn mood picked up immediately and I winced at the mixture of surprise and giddy excitement. "You mean it?" What was I getting myself into? It wasn't that I wanted to encourage her. However, I had said I would think about it and I suppose the best way to find out if we even fit together would be to try it out after all.

I scratched myself behind one ear, laughing lightly in mild embarrassment. "Not much else to do. Might as well enjoy the day."

It wasn't that I was acknowledging any kind of relationship. Really now...

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**(Ash)**

The evening air was cool but bearable. The climate down in Twinleaf was a little less "perfect" than during the tournament but that was fine with me. Right now, nothing much could get my mood down. It would probably need an impending apocalypse.

Sinnoh was truly a beautiful region. I had seen so many places already but I think from all of them I liked Sinnoh the best so far. The variety of towns, cities and landscapes, the people, the experiences I had made here. It wasn't just the fact that I had met Dawn here or made my first Championship. There were a lot of memories tied to this place that I would keep forever.

The reality of the situation had begun to fully sink in. Now, as I lay half-propped up in the grass, holding up my hard-earned proof of victory, for the first time in years I felt... content. Satisfied even to a degree. For so long I had always pushed forward, always ready to move on, get closer to my dream. Now that I had reached it, the desire for adventure had been quelled. At least for a short while.

Such a tiny thing. The badge was nothing fancy. A simple, five-pointed silver star with a red ruby inside. I thought it was a ruby, Cynthia had explained that it served some kind of verification purpose. Still, it meant so much. Perhaps even more than the big trophy for winning the tournament that I had entrusted mom with for safekeeping. This badge was the proof that I hadn't just won a tournament but was also qualified as a Master.

"We did it, buddy. We reached the top," I said quietly to Pikachu who was stretched out beside me. He was still recovering from the final. Despite intensive treatment, the match had taken its toll on his reserves. Nothing some rest couldn't cure. "Only the top seems to be much bigger than we imagined."

Yes, this was just the beginning after all. I had reached my dream. However, only the beginning of that dream. Becoming a true Elite, a true Master, there was still a lot of work to do. That actually made me glad. As much as I enjoyed this moment of satisfaction, I still retained much to aim for in the future. Purpose was, after all, the driving force for individual development.

"Pi, Pikachu, Pikapi!"

I chuckled. "That's right. Nothing's going to stop us now. We are only going to become better from here on. The challenges will be a lot harder but... I know we can do it." And Pikachu voiced his agreement with as much enthusiasm as he could muster at the moment.

I also had people to focus my efforts on. For one thing, Cynthia remained the goal to reach right now... unless someone else took the title from her in the meantime. The only one who I felt might, remained my greatest measurement still. I had won this fight with Leaf. But our true contest to see who was the strongest Trainer was still on, the climax was yet to come.

First though, I had a lot of training to do. And to give as much support to Dawn as she gave to me while she strived for her own dream. Dawn had been the one thing I honestly hadn't planned on when coming to Sinnoh. Not that that was a bad thing. Not at all. I dare say meeting and falling in love with her was right up there with winning the tournament. Both had been an extraordinary experience that shaped and changed my life here and neither would have been possible without the other.

The future that lay ahead, I know I could face whatever would come because I wouldn't do it alone. As long as we had each other, we could meet any challenge ahead and persevere.

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**(Dawn)**

Finding Ash outside on the small hill not far from our home wasn't so hard. I didn't need to feel him to realize where he had gone off to. Sunset watching had become somewhat of a ritual to us whenever we found the time. Perhaps it was a little cheesy but I wouldn't complain. I could do with some clichés now that we had the time for stuff like this.

Regardless how right this relationship felt, how almost unnoticed we had slipped into it, an actual confession and real first kiss had just been a few days old. There was still a lot we had to explore and catch up with. I would insist on it now as well. We didn't even have a proper date yet after all! How abnormal was that? Well, I suppose we were just special like this. I had to giggle lightly at the thought.

Piplup made an inquiring sound and I just shook my head. "Nothing, just a funny thought." Another comment and I gaped. "Excuse me? What did you mean with 'naughty'? Who even taught you what that meant?" A snort and a short answer made me grumble. I'd need to have a word with Lopunny.

"Pip, Pi, Piplup, lup," my first Pokémon continued and I blanched slightly.

"I do not drool in my sleep!" Before I could do something violent, Piplup had squirmed out of my grasp and was already taking off back to the house with an amused comment that roughly translated to "enjoy yourself".

Still huffing I reached Ash and Pikachu and plopped down next to them. Ash raised an eyebrow at me and I grumbled. "I think Piplup feels a little neglected. He is developing an unhealthy attitude." I wasn't as miffed about it as I sounded. In fact, I had expected some teasing about Ash and me much earlier than this.

Ash chuckled, picking up on my halfhearted annoyance. "Well, he has to live with it. I don't feel like sharing your attention." That earned him a playful punch in the shoulder. "But seriously, you should spend some more time with them, aside from training I mean."

I nodded quietly. That was true. There hadn't been that many opportunities lately to just do normal things with our Pokémon that weren't somehow related to training, Contest or battling. "Well, we have a lot of time now."

Ash sat up and I wordlessly took his invitation to snuggle against him. Yes, I really wanted to do things like this more often. "Have you decided where to go next?" he asked after awhile of just sitting and watching the sun sink below the horizon.

"Not sure. I guess everything is fine at this point... well, except Unova. They don't have Contests there. A shame really."

Ash snorted. "Yeah, Leaf told me she heard from someone they think of the rest of the world as if we were from some backwater country. Go figure." We both laughed at this and I felt some relief at Ash's casual reassurance that he would be fine with wherever we would go. He had seen pretty much everything I could choose right now... except Unova. The Pokémon enthusiast in him surely would like to see all the new Pokémon but apparently was in no real hurry to do so. I resolved that if I could make Top Coordinator next time, we'd be going there next.

For now I was perfectly happy where I was. The future could wait for tomorrow... or even next week. I was right where I wanted to be. "I love you," I whispered, needing to express my feelings. Ash had been the best thing to happen to me. He gave me the confidence I needed to push forward. I didn't have the drive he had when we first met. Expectations, even self-made ones, had played a big part in my goals in life. Now these goals had become my own dream. Ash had inspired me and helped me to find my own path, free of my mother's success.

Ash pulled me a little closer, the last rays of the sun just slipping past the sea. "And I love you."

With these feelings and our dreams which bound us together for better or for worse, I knew with absolute certainty, I didn't need to feel worried about the future.

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**(Narrator)**

"And with this our heroes' adventures in the Sinnoh region grow to a close. For now everyone is going their separate ways and it is still uncertain where Ash and Dawn will be drawn to next. The future is wide open though and many experiences still lay ahead. Unknown to most, events have been set into motion that will challenge our heroes far beyond what they had ever imagined."

I switch the scene to an unknown location. In a dark cave two Pokémon were conversing.

"It's almost time," the smaller one said. In the dim light only the vague shadow of something cat-like could be seen floating in the air.

Its companion shared the same distinctive feature but standing tall and more human-like. "Are you sure you don't want my help?"

The smaller one shook its head. "No, this is not your fight. You have already endured enough. It is our destiny... and theirs. This matter cannot be resolved by pure force alone."

The taller one was silent for awhile. "Even so. If there is anything I can help with, don't hesitate to ask."

The smaller one slowly floated around, pondering. "I wish I could say it wasn't needed. But too much is uncertain. For now, just be prepared. We cannot be caught off guard before they have all become Masters. The fate of the world depends on their success."

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The Final Step to the Master Reloaded Arc 1

Fin

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**Closing Notes (and I really suggest everyone reads those this time)**

And done. Okay, that took actually longer than planned for various reasons. And damn... it got even bigger than the last chapter. I did a whole lot of the last scenes Saturday (would be today for all of you in my timeframe and reading on my page) though and while I had only figured it would be two more, it turned out to be four. So it became longer than expected. All that was necessary though since I wanted a satisfying conclusion. *slight nudge towards the latest Negima chapters* This is how you do it and not suddenly jump rush after a month's long conflict within two short manga chapters. Really, I am slightly annoyed by that...

A lot of slow stuff. A lot of conclusions, some foreshadowing. I won't say too much to the foreshadowing. Some of the conclusions came as a bit of a surprise to me too. The Zoey-Dawn bit sprang at me out of left field despite how much it actually needed to be done – or so I realized when I did it. I finally found a solution for Brock too but kept it under wraps for the time beings. Rest assured, I have something planned for his near future.

Team Rocket? Did no one miss them? Obviously not. Too bad. Probably the one good thing about the Unova arc, it finally gave them more substance than the ever failing idiots doing nothing but chasing after Ash and Pikachu. On that note, in the final Dawn section I couldn't quite resist to fit in the comments. Let's make this clear once again, I have nothing against the new games, actually liked a lot of the things they did with them. The absence of Contests was a bad thing though, especially for any real involvement in this story, and the anime – as little as I have seen yet – just sucks. A big step down from the Sinnoh arc, more like taking that step and falling down a cliff.

May... *chuckles* Err, I think I managed to convey what I wanted without needing to directly spell it out. If you don't get it you have to remain ignorant until it's time to address that one. Same goes for Misty if anyone caught the possible hint that is. *grins at everyone scrambling back to read the passage again*

And I finally revealed the mystery Pokémon's identity that had been with Leaf before. Anyone guessed it? Those two really were the only ones over from Unova that I could actually fit in adequately considering the movie was set in Sinnoh.

Now then, for the future. And this is why I urged all of you to read this before clotting my mail box asking for updates. I'll be taking advanced training courses from the 19th onward for the next half year. I am actually rather glad I got it financed by my job service, so I won't complain about the lack of time. There will be that though.

I am not abandoning writing again. I promised myself that I would keep up, even if it went slow and I would just manage a page or so every other day. For this story though, I cannot say when I will pick it up again. I have mentioned so earlier but there is a lot more I want to do and with more limited time I really have to decide on what to focus on. My writing world really doesn't consist solely of Pokémon. I have a multitude of anime and other series that I like and that have a lot more – excuse my bluntness – substance to work with. Soul Lights is high on my agenda to continue and if anyone isn't offended by large multi-crossovers with a high quantity (and hopefully quality) of yuri pairings, you might want to look it up. There is a good chance I'll be doing some further work on it soon.

Or not. I honestly cannot say right now. I'll be thinking it over the next few days /week before deciding and my muse has a great deal to say about what we'll be doing anyway. It is entirely possible I actually return to this earlier than I imagined but even then only after I completely mapped out the main plot. The direction I want to take this story now is going to be too dependent on good planning or I'll end up with faulty storytelling.

I hope you are all patient with me. This story had been a lot of fun so far and has managed to do its job to get me back into the writing groove very well. The way I ended this arc, TFSTTM Reloaded could at least stand on its own for awhile and I am satisfied with that. Leaving stories unfinished is bad enough but even more so when it happens in the middle of the actual story. The conclusion of the Sinnoh League leaves TFSTTM Reloaded at a point where I can pull back without feeling bad about it and still leave you readers with a fairly conclusive story except for the few – vague enough – hints about future events. Consider it done for now and look forward for the next arc... whenever it may be. Hopefully I can keep some of you around not just because and for this story.

Again, I thank you all for the nice and supporting reviews, inputs and suggestions. They did keep me going. As much as I believe an author should first and foremost write for themselves, the support of feedback is still an important factor for motivation. I am not sure I would have written so much so fast again, if not for your support.

With this, I really conclude the first arc of TFSTTM Reloaded. Please review one last time and look out for whatever it is I'll be posting next. I might leave a note... but it would really be a good thing if you are seriously interested to watch my homepage or even better subscribe to my update list. It's more likely to find out what I'll be doing there.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias aka MysticMew and Maia, the Muse


	10. 02P1: On Route to the Grand Festival!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, First Prologue

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

Alright, despite all that I said, I didn't really end up doing anything else. Shame on me. I believe I have figured out something about my motivation. Ironically, I have always been much more active as a writer than I had far less time to write. This story kind of proves it since I have written the bulk of the first arc while actually having to work. The way I see it, having less time to spare, makes me use that time much more efficient. If I have a lot of free time, I tend to just do other things all day (play games, watch Anime etc.). With less time, I am much more inclined to actually do something productive.

That being said, my training courses scheduled to begin last autumn were sadly cancelled. Without warning, a week before the start, reason: too few participants. I shall make no comment, less I get worked up. Thus my work situation has not exactly improved. However, I did manage to make myself start on the second arc of TFSTTM Reloaded after all... somehow.

For your information. The first three parts which I have all labeled "Prologues" will be released in relative short order. Meaning, by the time you read this, the other two will already be finished and I'll post them in short intervals. They are mostly independent of each other, meant to cover three main group of characters, bridging the time skip between Arc 1 and 2. Essentially Arc 2 is a bit of a bridging arc itself, setting up a lot of things for the main action to come.

Before I start, I'd like to address a few reviews that came in after the last chapter.

RTMac1989: Thank you for the praise. As for the M-portion. Mostly my rating is a safety measure. I am not quite sure how "graphic" I will get. This arc will have some rather dark portions though, at least two or so I have planned. After that it's definitely going to get a lot darker. Just how descriptive I'll get, I don't know yet. ^_^ If I do more than one higher rated scene (lemon *cough*), I might just handle it as I do my other stories and make an extra file where I dump them all. And May didn't take Ash and Dawn being together well exactly... You'll see just why in this chapter.

Lastly for the unsigned reviewer from 11.01.2012 (given for "Chapter: 4. 0103: Road to the Final!" for those of you interested):

I am kind of sad you didn't leave me a signed review or at least some way to answer. I wouldn't bite your head off after all. In fact, your review was one of the very few with honest, worthwhile criticism that I always say I actually appreciate but seldom get (not that I want to see only criticism but still...).

Your thoughts on my writing style actually did throw me for a loop. Not in a bad way by far but also not in a way that I can do something about it right away. I can certainly understand where you are coming from and to some degree I have to agree with you. In my defense I can say two things though.

First of all, the way I see my particular style of first POV is kind of like a pseudo recollection. As if the characters would sit down at some point after the story and write down/record their thoughts during certain instances. That can certainly give the way I portray thoughts a certain lack of individuality. Second would be the fact that Pokémon characters in general give fairly little in terms of complex personality to work with. I am quite sure if I you read some of my other stories (especially my Sailor Moon ones), thought process there is a lot more... diverse at least.

Despite that, I can certainly see that trying to make the POVs a bit more personalized, would be better. However, the writing style I am using is a style I have developed over years and as such changing something essential about it, is not something that I can do overnight, perhaps not even over the course of this story. I am afraid if I were to experiment in an ongoing story, I might just make it worse trying. I may try small things here and there but don't expect me to revolutionize a writing style concept that I have kept up for years because of that. The only thing this would accomplish would be that I start doubting every passage and I'd never get anything done this way.

Again. This is not meant to say, I disregard your criticism. I was actually rather floored because it makes a lot of sense, yet no one has ever said anything like that before about my style, at least not in such a honest and direct way. I am very grateful for that and I'll try to do better. If not for this story, then perhaps for future ones.

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**(Narrator)**

And once again I am getting dragged into this. Literally. After all this time I had finally settled on another job and they just go and drag me back now... "Oy! What do you mean you are decking my pay... No, no need to do it again. I get right to it." Man, whimsical slave drivers...

"Many months, almost a year, had passed since the conclusion of the Sinnoh League. It is a nice spring day in Saffron City. People go about their business the biggest city of the Kanto region, the atmosphere overall busy but peaceful..."

A loud explosion had people in the vicinity of the local Gym stop and stare, wondering what was going on, even as more sounds of battle that were clearly not of the normal variety the citizens of Saffron were used to came from the building. Some passersby for a moment seemed to consider investigating but then thought better of it, apparently more worried about getting caught up in whatever was happening inside. This was after all Sabrina and for most people that was enough to stay away...

Had they taken a closer look though, they might have been treated to a sight not seen since the conclusion of the Sinnoh League finals.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Prologue 1: On Route to the Grand Festival! Training, dreams and... love.

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**Saffron City Gym, Kanto (Dawn)**

Even after all that time, it was always a spectacular experience to witness a high level battle like this. The collision of the Focus Blast and Solarbeam was still throwing up smoke but the initiators were already moving again. The small form of the Bulbasaur shot out of the cloud with a cry without even a command issued, and fired a volley of razor-sharp leaves at his opponent. Equally moving without command – although considering its Trainer the normal observer would find that much easier to comprehend – Jynx gracefully danced away, already inhaling sharply for the next move. But Bulbasaur was faster. Using his vines to grab a support pillar, he swung around in a fast move that took Jynx by surprise. Already in the middle of preparation what would have been a devastating Blizzard attack for its opponent, it barely evaded the Power Whip... which never was Bulbasaur's actual plan. Already poisoned by an earlier Sludge Bomb, the Venoshock at point blank hit with even more force. Jynx was out of it even before it hit the far wall.

"Winner of this round: Bulbasaur!" The judge announced and I had to praise him for keeping a firm voice. Gym battles rarely saw that level of fighting after all. Of course, Sabrina was still held among the very best, if not THE best Gym Leader among the currently active ones in Kanto.

There were no words exchanged when she and Ash recalled their Pokémon and got ready for the final bout. I couldn't help but smile fondly at my boyfriend standing below with that ever present calm he had developed ever since that final battle with Leaf almost a year ago. Not the kind of calm of someone unmoved by everything around them. No, his usual exuberant energy was focused, drawn inward and converted into an inner strength driving him and his Pokémon onward. That kind of change whenever he got into a battle was fairly amazing to watch and always filled me with a warm feeling, simply knowing he had everything under control. Watching him battle like this always inspired me as well, motivated me to do even better on my next Contest.

Well... There was only one step left. The big one. Kanto's Grand Festival would come up soon and perhaps watching Ash's training battle with Sabrina was the right thing to do. I could already feel my worries dissipating as I got absorbed in the match. Of course, worries were too strong or perhaps simply too inadequate a term. So far the Contests had gone well. Too well.

Five entries, five victories. It was somewhat... unsatisfying. I think I finally understood how Ash must have felt in the earlier rounds of the tournament and how hard it was to keep your concentration high every time when your Pokémon were so much stronger than the opposition. I knew rationally that the Grand Festival was an entirely different stage and that there would be experienced Coordinators who had participated in prior performances. However, breezing through Contests with such an ease left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.

Well, there was one good thing about the fast pace with which I had earned my ribbons. After all despite that we had just barely made it in time for the Grand Festival. While it wasn't very surprising, I believe both of us had been unprepared just for the potency of Ash's popularity. The weeks after the tournament had been especially rough. We could barely get into a city, let alone take a rest at the local Pokémon Center before getting swarmed by fans or the occasional reporters – though those decreased as time went by. It was bad enough that we had to resign ourselves to camping outside a city more often rather than a nice, warm bed.

Especially the kids had taken to Ash. The young Trainers seemed to adore Ash a lot for the example he had set in achieving such a high level of ability at his age. He could also connect quite easily with them, not too long ago having been on the other side as well. I wasn't really mad about this attention, in fact most of the times I found the way Ash was handling other Trainers quite endearing. Most of the time he always managed to find some way to teach them something important.

Down below, Alakazam was learning the hard way that even with all the hype and attention, Ash had always found time to train. And despite the shorter time available between travels, Contests and other events requiring our attention, the growth of his Pokémon was just as... if not even more amazing than during the concentrated three month training trip before the Sinnoh League tournament.

Feraligatr – who evolved in a short time after his training started – was a prime example. Not as agile as Buizel – by now Floatzel – it made up for that through sheer power and tenacity. While one might think that was a disadvantage against a powerful Psychic type like Alakazam, Feraligatr showed an amazing willpower, more than once pushing through a psychic grip and hitting his surprised opponent with powerful attacks. Especially the various ways in which it could employ his favorite method of biting an opponent gave his opponent a lot of trouble. Bite and Crunch were, of course, especially effective, yet an Ice Fang mixed into the patterns was not to be ignored either.

Of course, Sabrina didn't have her reputation for nothing and while she showed no outward sign of emotion, I could tell she was enjoying fighting all out without the usual restraints just as much as Ash did. Just as I thought Feraligatr would surprise Alakazam with a swift Aqua Tail, I felt a tug on my mind and the Psi Pokémon pulled of a quick Teleport, appearing less than a feet above the swinging tail and slamming a combination of what looked like a Psyshock and an Energy Ball mixed together into the surprised alligator.

I winced as Feraligatr was flung hard across the field, yet I wasn't that worried, proven moments later when he caught his fall and skidded to a halt. What got to me more was that I could swear I almost knew what would be happening, yet Ash didn't seem to have expected it. And that hadn't been the first time today. I couldn't explain it but somehow I seemed to be able to predict the moves of Sabrina's Pokémon almost perfectly. If I didn't know any better, I would think I was developing psychic talent... but that was ridiculous, right?

Being drawn back to the match, I shrugged off the mysterious event for the moment. Ash had regained control and once more Feraligatr showed that while generally considered as slow, when it had the opportunity to bite something, it could move with an amazing speed. This time the Teleport attempt came too late and Feraligatr went in for the kill. And he did so showing off perhaps the biggest breakthrough in Ash's training these days. Fangs charged with Water and Ice Power on either side, the powerful Water type smashed into Alakazam with a vicious Bite, discharging not only Ice and Water but also Dark-elemental power into his opponent in a triple-elemental manipulation.

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**Lilypad Town, Sinnoh (May)**

My respect for Dawn was only increasing with every Contest I participated in. Sinnoh was an entirely different experience than anywhere else I had been. After having seen and participated in Contests in Kanto, Johto and my own home region – which was supposed to be fairly advanced when it came to Contests –, Sinnoh put them all to shame. The pace and the competition was much more fierce and the attention of the public was far greater than anywhere else. In most regions, Contests were just now getting popular whereas in Sinnoh, they had perhaps the longest, standing tradition.

And Dawn had managed to not only make it to the Grand Festival but also to a fantastic second place that to most observers felt more like a draw for first place. In her first try. Had it been the me who started my first Pokémon journey here, I doubted I would have even made it to the Festival.

Stomping down on the comparative thoughts before they could end up where they usually did – a distraction I couldn't afford right now –, I saw my opponent have her Arcanine charge Beautifly in a combination of Extremespeed and Flame Charge, leaving the Pokémon as little more than a blazing trail. By all means the move should be a guaranteed hit and considering the type difference a devastating one.

"Down!" In an impossible seeming move, Beautifly used her small – relatively flat – body to slip below her charging opponent, pressing herself extremely close to the ground, barely avoiding contact. "Psychic Buzz!" Overextended and unprepared the combination of Bug Buzz and Psychic caught Arcanine in midair. Sound waves, air pressure and psychic power nearly flung it off the stage but once again the Dog Pokémon proved resilient, barely catching itself.

My opponent was getting desperate though. "Flamethrower!" There wasn't even a hint of combination, merely relying on power now. So far Thomas had been an excellent example why winning Sinnoh Contests was so much harder but the continuing inability to inflict any kind of real damage despite the type advantage was taking its toll on his patience. All the training of the last months was starting to pay off.

"Counter it with Silver Wind!" That would normally be a stupid and useless move but Beautifly was a master with this technique. To the astonishment of both my opponent and the crowd, the fairly harmless – in strength and element – attack managed to funnel the powerful flames and direct them around Beautifly in a corona of fiery beauty, further costing Thomas points under the applause of the crowd. Not that I was finished, of course. "Quiver Dance!" Still with the potentially dangerous flames maintained around her body, Beautifly began an intricate dance.

"Would you look at that! What a spectacular display! It seems Beautifly doesn't have any fear of the fire at all!"

That, of course, was exactly how it was. Months of harsh elemental resistance training had first eliminated or at least drastically decreased the risks of so much exposure to fire. Blaziken had been an ideal sparring partner in that aspect. Of course, despite all that, Beautifly was still a rather fragile Pokémon which no amount of training could ever completely change. The inspiration for this particular approach of handling an incoming Fire-type attack had been inspired – as had so many things – by the final of the Sinnoh League last year. Ash had done something similar with his Staraptor to pull off a last second win against his opponent's seemingly untouchable Mismagius.

Witnessing the match had been an eye opener. I believe it had been for many people who had thought they were good enough already. In my case though, seeing how far ahead Ash was and in conclusion Dawn had to be, it was also motivation. I still was no closer to figuring out what to do with my feelings, unable to discard them regardless how obvious them kissing openly live on TV should have made it that my chances were slim to none. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite so simple and I couldn't stop my heart from longing... in fact it had only gotten worse over the last months.

Thus, I had to become stronger. I had to be able to prove to myself and to them that I could compete at their level. And so, as surprising as it had been, I had gladly accepted the help of the one person who could safely say she was already at their level. You don't get personal visits from Pokémon Masters – recently instated or not – very often after all and it would have been foolish to refuse her help. Of course, I immediately realized how taxing the training regiment she had proposed would be but Ash and Dawn had gone through it and I could not afford to stay behind. Even if all that accomplished would be to catch up to them ability-wise.

Thomas was definitely uncertain of what to do with his opponent's Pokémon dancing in the very flames that were supposed to ensure her defeat. When he finally did react, it was already too late. This time the attack was a bit more Contest-suited, a combination of Swift and another Flamethrower, making flaming stars assault Beautifly. However, by expertly manipulating the fire, the attacks all impacted harmlessly against it, in fact only adding more fuel.

I was betting many spectators were baffled at how such control could be possible by simple air manipulation. Of course, it wasn't that simple. In fact, I had quickly realized that employing Silver Wind like this merely helped to create the initial funnel, maintaining it had only become possible when Beautifly learned Psychic and applied it subtly, without visible effect, maintaining the flames around herself through a combination of both moves.

This also became the perfect setup for a powerful finish. "Now, let's finish it, Beautifly! Solarbeam!"

Thomas started to call out a command but didn't expect the instant surge of energy. The fire served as a replacement for the absorption of sunlight and had a similar effect as Sunny Day. Not only that but the beam that slammed into a wholly unprepared Arcanine was equally parts Grass and Fire elemental. And while neither would have been particularly effective against a Fire type, the combination and the sheer force behind it was enough to knock our opponent clear out of the match... Even if it hadn't, the spectacular sight of a Solarbeam emitting wild flames as it sped through the air would have been enough to take away all points Thomas had left at this point.

The crowd was quiet for a long moment before erupting into applause, almost swallowing the announcement of our victory. I breathed a sigh of relief. The Grand Festival was just around the corner. Training had cost me a lot of time, regardless how much it had been worth and necessary. Had I messed up this time, it would have become a real problem.

Now though, now I was ready to compete where Dawn had a year before. This was a big measuring grade for my own growth. Just what exactly it would mean if I succeeded I wasn't sure of. Neither was I any closer to figuring out a solution to my emotional troubles... However, perhaps after the Grand Festival I could finally concentrate on resolving this issue one way or another.

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**Somewhere in a dark office... (Giovanni)**

"Preparations are about 80% complete. We should be ready to move soon."

Excellent. Finally everything was coming together. No longer would we need to stay in the shadows, shackled by those weak fools of the League who would rather bow down and recite weak illusions of living together in harmony with Pokémon. Pah. They would eventually learn their peril, of course. History had proven that in the end the strong would rule the weak and that is how it should be. Believing and preaching anything else was folly.

However, I would not be satisfied with such a result. This was the time for Team Rocket to show its superiority, the last over two decades of work in reforming this organization had been for this moment. They would not even know what hit them.

"Any new reports from agents Jessie and James?" I asked, not quite managing to banish the sour note out of my voice. Persian also hissed in displeasure, but it really couldn't be helped at the moment. Most agents were tied up with other important work in preparation for the upcoming operation. And at the very least those three had the most experience dealing with the target.

There was a moment of silence on the other end. "Nothing new, sir. Last report indicated that they couldn't get a good opportunity as of yet because of the high popularity of the target." I snorted in response. While I would grudgingly accept the reasoning from a competent agent, I didn't doubt the real reason any moment. I had no delusions about whether or not those three were capable of executing the order I had given them. They were soft fools who didn't really have a place in the new order anyway. I would deal with them at the same time I dealt with those annoying children.

"No matter. Prepare a strike team. We will deal with those pest personally when we make our move. The first test run should make a nice distraction." And once their Chosen were dead, even those meddling Legendaries wouldn't be able to stop what was to come. "Heh, heh, I knew those fools wouldn't be able to go through with killing them. Let them keep track of the Chosen for us, at least they are good for that one thing."

"Yes, sir." The intercom clicked off and I sat back in my chair. I had been leading this organization for over twenty years now. When I took over, it was little more than a band of thieves out for their own profit. Nothing but money had counted for mother. But I wanted... No, I knew there needed to be more. And there would be now.

I grabbed the folder with the latest reports on our research's ultimate result, the perfect tool. My mood immediately got better as I looked through the latest progress reports of our "Rage Pokémon". With this we had the perfect weapons. Yes, I had all the tools necessary to create a new order. A world how it should be. How it should have been from the beginning.

"Isn't that right, my friend?" I asked with a look into the deep shadows of the room. Anyone else would have been frightened when two deep red eyes stared back where nothing should be. I merely smiled. Even IT, as much as IT thought to be the one in control, was nothing but a tool in the end. A tool which's power would bring about my ultimate vision.

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**Outskirts of Saffron City, Kanto (Ash)**

The transition had been surprisingly easy. Where others might have problems going from good friends to being in love, our relationship had been fairly uncomplicated in that regard. Perhaps that was due to the slow buildup that had been there for a long time without being properly acknowledged. Perhaps it was that the last months had been more stressful than anticipated, leading to a heightened awareness of that short time we truly had to ourselves without any other pressing matters requiring our attention. Be that as it may, there hadn't been any major problems in exploring this new field called love that we were both fairly unprepared for. Both of us knew what we had in the other and were glad for it.

As such, my body instinctively reacted to the missing body heat next to me, pulling me out of my own dreamless slumber into the world of the waking. Yes, we had started sleeping together for awhile now and no, it was nothing indecent! In fact it had become a practical act for various reasons that would end up with one seeking out the other simply because we were both more content this way and could definitely sleep a lot better.

No doubt one of these reasons, perhaps the most important one, was the case for Dawn's absence. Pikachu was still snoring lightly on the other end of the tent – he had given up curling next to us after several embarrassing accidents that had to do with a lack of space and unconscious movement while being asleep. A glance to the entrance of the tent showed no light filtering in from outside. I doubted it had been long since we went to sleep and seeing as both of us had been rather tired, there really was only one logical explanation why Dawn wasn't sleeping like a rock as well.

Grabbing my jacket, I quietly slipped outside into the cool, spring air. While the days were getting progressively warmer, at night it was still rather cold. I really would have liked to stay indoors for once, unfortunately running into another horde of fans shortly after leaving the Gym had quickly altered our plans.

The kind of fans Dawn really hated and I had learned the hard way could make her mad in ways that left me feeling rather bad about myself in general. Fangirls... ah huh. I really wondered how Gary could deal with them when he was still having an entire entourage following him around. Then again, he didn't have a serious relationship at the time either.

I didn't have to walk far to find Dawn a short way up the small hill overlooking the city. The spot had been ideal since it was fairly protected from the wind. Still, I couldn't help but worry that it was entirely too cold to sit around, especially away from the usual shelter.

Silently I sat down next to her and wrapped my jacket around her. "You are going to catch a cold and that really would look bad on stage," I said quietly with a light grin. Dawn didn't react surprised, instead merely leaning slightly against me. The awareness of the other that we had already discovered on several levels during the tournament had only increased to a point where it was almost impossible to actually surprise the other, even if they were deep in thought.

"Sorry to wake you up. I couldn't sleep," Dawn replied quietly but it was obvious she knew I wouldn't buy it, nor let up so easily. This had been going on for awhile and tonight there was something in her voice that put me on edge. She had gotten good in hiding the true extent of her emotions on such nights, yet I could actually detect the remaining quiver of... unease – to put it very mildly – in her voice.

"You had a dream again." It wasn't a question and neither was the next. "A really bad one."

Dawn shivered lightly but then shrugged, looking at me with a forced smile. "It's nothing. They are just dreams."

I didn't believe it. And neither did she. "If they were just that, they wouldn't affect you like this." Ever since the first ones during the tournament, the number of them had increased more and more, just as their obvious dreadful nature. Dawn said she didn't really remember much details and most of the times they really were just vague images. While I had no way of accurately confirming whether or not that was true, I knew how much it affected her.

"I said its okay! We can't afford to get distracted right now!" Dawn bit back, then immediately flinched away slightly upon realizing her outburst. She really didn't like to worry me, often enough pushing it to the extreme, bottling up whatever was bothering her until I finally noticed and had to make her talk.

Wordlessly I pulled her into my arms, ignoring her brief struggle until she ceased resistance. Tugging strands of unkempt hair – a sight you normally wouldn't catch Dawn even in death with – I placed a soft, short kiss on her lips until I felt her relax slightly. "Hey, it's me. We shouldn't hide these things from each other. You know I worry and I want to be there for you."

It seemed to be enough. Normally she would put up much more of a struggle but this time her dream must have really rattled her, or perhaps it was finally getting too much to ignore. My grip tightened as she began to tremble slightly, obviously trying hard to keep some measure of control. "I'm scared, Ash. Something is going to happen. Something really bad. And it's going to be soon. I don't know what to do. These dreams... I'm sure they are warning me of something but I don't understand what they mean." She sniffed and I softly began to stroke her hair.

While I was waiting for Dawn to calm down, my thoughts were drawn to some of the events of the last months. There had certainly been enough signs. Team Rocket activity had increased to a point where, despite Cynthia's promise to leave us in relative peace for now, the League had to call on me to resolve minor incidents. Usually nothing more than a robbery or other small crime scene by comparable weak agents. But the fact that I was asked to take care of those if we were in the area was a strong indication that the other Masters were tied up with much more important tasks.

On top of that, Jessie, James and Meowth were back as well. That alone wasn't worrying. With our increased battle skills they were even less of a threat than usual. What was puzzling was that even taking our increased strength in account they were hardly trying anymore, just popping up randomly and pulling off a half-baked scheme. As if their hearts weren't in it anymore.

And then there was, of course, the most concerning issue of Leaf's ominous warning to Dawn on the eve of the Sinnoh League tournament. If there was one thing I knew, then that my old friend wasn't the type to joke around with these sorts of things.

"Why don't you go and see Sabrina tomorrow and talk to her. Maybe she can help you with those dreams," I suggested, half expecting her to refuse and downplay the issue again. So I added an argument I knew she couldn't so easily win against. "Regardless of what all this means, it will affect your performance for the Festival."

I needn't have worried. It seemed Dawn had finally reached some sort of limit on her patience as well because she actually agreed without further complaint. When we went to sleep again, it was much more restful, I could tell.

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**Lilypad Town, Sinnoh (May)**

This was no good.

Just as I thought, my performance yesterday wasn't quite what I would call flawless. Yet, nothing but flawless would do for the Grand Festival and my hopes of ever catching up to them.

I had made a point to video review every Contest. Technology had after all advanced far enough that eligible Trainers and Coordinators could access video feeds of official tournaments online in order to analyze their own or opponent's performances. That was more widely known for the big Leagues but Contests had begun to offer the service as well.

Already I had caught several flaws throughout yesterday's Contest which I could all recall and relate to moments where I had been less than attentive. During the performance I had thought I was doing well and shrugged those moments of as inconsequential but now I could see where a more experienced opponent could have used those instances to take control of the match or even finish it altogether. I could certainly see where I would have done so.

"So much for not letting it affect me," I moaned morosely and switched off the screen. Sure, all in all my performance was still as good as ever. Thanks to my extensive training I could safely say that, even with these distractions, I was probably as good as during my last Festivals. That wasn't enough though. I had to be at the top of my game, anything else wouldn't do.

At that moment my recent companion chose to voice her own thoughts. "Are you still pining after them? Honestly, don't waste your time on something you have no chance at anyway." The bigger than normal Eevee answered my light glare with an indifferent gaze that didn't seem to care whether or not her words had any effect on me. Not that I wasn't used to it. Ever since I had... acquired her, Naru had been rather cynical and closed off. Considering her past experiences, especially with humans, I couldn't fault her. I held no illusion that she stayed with me for more than the sake of her sister. We worked quite well with this understanding and I hoped that I was gradually winning her trust. Otherwise she would hardly care about my emotional state of mind, right?

Dropping my ire, I heaved a sigh. "I know. I know that it's probably pointless. But I can't help it. I can't just drop it as much as I try. And that's only making it worse. If I don't get this under control, then I'm going to mess up at the Festival... again." And I wasn't sure if I could afford that. Losing would mean that Dawn almost certainly would pull ahead completely. I had to do this now. Waiting yet another year would certainly guarantee that I would lose any chance to prove myself as an equal to her... to them.

Why? Why had it become like this? It had been easier when it was just Ash I was pining after. If it had just been Ash, I could have just allowed myself to be jealous of Dawn, perhaps letting that push me forward. No, I think, if it had just been Ash, I could have let things go and accept that they were happy together and there was no chance for me.

But then the Wallace Cup happened and Dawn came into the picture, throwing my worldview into chaos and my emotions into utter turmoil. I had never been remotely interested in that sort of thing before. However, with Dawn it was different. Her vibrancy, her grace and skill on stage. Something had sparked right there and that spark had become a wild, uncontrollable flame that I couldn't sniff out anymore. Instead of overwhelming what I was feeling for Ash though, this new fire seemed to have merely sucked in these feelings and made them stronger. Before I even realized it, I had fallen in love... with both of them.

It was a dilemma. I couldn't really bring myself to make a clean cut precisely because I had no one to be jealous over. Begrudging them a relationship was pointless as well since I wanted them to be happy. But my heart still longed for them. The more I tried to forget, suppress or distance myself from these feelings, the stronger they would come back eventually. And in the end I had no one else to blame but myself for not saying anything to either of them when I still had had the chance.

Naru snorted and I was actually startled when she jumped into my lap and nudged my hand. Absently I began to stroke her fur. "You are thinking too hard. Just moping around over the unfairness of life won't get you anywhere. The only way you'll ever get closure is by telling them, regardless of the outcome." Leave it to Naru to vocalize bluntly what I had already known for a long time.

A confrontation was inevitable. Yet... I was scared. Scared of their reaction. After all Ash and Dawn seemed to be quite happy with each other. Why would they even want to risk that for something uncertain? Wouldn't I just be an intruder? When I thought about it like this, I always reasoned that it was better not to have an answer than to have your hope crushed.

Besides... "The way I am now, what chances would I have? What could I even offer them?" How ironic. I needed to confront them to have closure, yet to even remotely find the courage to do so I wanted... no, needed to prove my worth. Yet, winning the next Festival with all this doubt and emotional chaos in my heart might just be impossible. The solution to this dilemma was...

"Idiotic human... Since when have you ever given up before trying? If you need a motivation, then why not use the Festival? If you win, you tell them."

... simple like that. I stared silently down at Naru, the Eevee with the dark brown-colored fur wasn't looking at me, instead enjoying the movements of my fingers through her fur. Maybe she really did care after all.

"Thanks, Naru." I picked her up and much to her protest hugged her tightly. It was so simple after all. Somehow she had understood perfectly. This was what I needed. A clear goal. I could concentrate on that and shut out everything else. If I concentrated on the Grand Festival with the resolve that, if I was victorious, no matter what, I would confront Ash and Dawn about my feelings, then I was sure I could push all further consequences back until then. And Naru was right about the other thing, too. When had I ever given up before trying? Being afraid of the outcome before giving it a try was not my style. That was something Ash had taught me as well and not just for Pokémon battles either.

Yes, if I won the Grand Festival this year, I would tell them how I felt. No... not if. Right after I did.

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**Saffron City Outskirts, Kanto (Ash)**

"Alright, guys. We are going to step up the training a little bit. It's just a precaution for now but we are really worried that something big is going to happen soon. I want all of you to be as ready as possible."

The group of Pokémon all gave enthusiastic replies but one could see that they understood the seriousness of the situation. Any one not knowing of the mechanics among the Elites would be wondering how it was possible that there were so many Pokémon in one place. There were Charizard, Feraligatr, Bulbasaur, my recently returned Pidgeot, Gabite, Buizel, Swellow, Staraptor and Jolteon, my most recent addition.

"Alright. Charizard, we need to work on your ground speed a little more. Feraligatr, pair up with him and practice your long-range shooting. Bulbasaur and Gabite, you two are sparring today. You did well against Sabrina but I'm sure you also realized where you still have room left to grow. Floatzel you will join Staraptor, Pidgeot and Swellow in the air. Pikachu, Jolteon, continue from yesterday."

I sat back for a moment and took out my Pokégear, the device calling up stored information about the team's training progress. The two biggest among my current lineup trotted off to the side where soon Feraligatr began to shoot water attacks at Charizard who would do his best to run away from them without using his wings.

Charizard had already been well-trained before and the training at the Valley had brought him close to his natural limit long ago. It had been no surprise that he had pushed past it very soon. The motivation he got from Infernape being my overall second-best from my Sinnoh League team only edged him on to do better.

Feraligatr on the other hand had shown the most potential when it came to an alternative to Floatzel. Unlike the latter he hadn't quite reached his limit yet but was close enough that it was merely a matter of days now. Both of them had enough distinction in their styles that interchanging them depending on situation made our team only more versatile.

Upon evolving about the same time he reached his limit – the Sinnoh League final giving him a huge push – Floatzel's midair control got even better. As such having him train right along with the true fliers was an excellent way to sharpen his reflexes against those that called the skies their natural home. Staraptor proved an excellent teacher and role model in getting Pidgeot and Swellow to catch up to her. Out of the two of them Pidgeot had made the most progress but the gap was rather small.

Gabite and Bulbasaur were about the same growth rate right now. Bulbasaur had been one of my first and quickly caught up to the rest. On the other hand Gabite had worked extra hard, the quick loss in the finals clearly motivating him to do better. He hadn't evolved further yet. However, much like with Feraligatr's limit, I didn't think it would take much longer. Dragon evolution was naturally slow after all.

That left the in all regards mismatched pair of Pikachu and Jolteon. Well, it was more of a mentor/student setup. Jolteon was still very young. I had gotten her from Nurse Joy in Fuchsia City along with her sister, an Espeon who had become one of Dawn's Pokémon. Apparently they had been abandoned near the edge of the Safari Zone. While I didn't know the details behind their story, it was obvious whoever had them before hadn't been very kind to them. The evolution had obviously been hurried. I had spoken with Brock briefly – still couldn't quite believe what he was doing these days – and he said that forcing baby Pokémon to evolve early, especially through the use of stones, could cause a lot of strain on the body, hindered and in the worst cases actually stunting growth. I had at first debated sending her to Professor Oak for now but she seemed to have grown attached to our group very quickly and had an honest desire to learn.

That had really been the first time I really appreciated the benefits that came with the provisional Master's License. Allowing a maximum of ten Pokémon to be carried, it really made training easier in many creative ways. The system was connected to the special Pokégear I had received, whereas the badge served like an ID card. While normally the release of all ten carried Pokémon was only permitted outside official battles, together with the badge, an emergency override could be initiated. So far I never really had a need to do so but that might change soon.

Dawn had gone into the city earlier to speak with Sabrina. As much as I had wanted to go with her, I understood how uncomfortable she was to speak about her dreams to begin with and that this might be something she had to overcome herself. Which left me with the only thing to do, training.

I was very proud of my Pokémon. Those that had fought in the Sinnoh League had only grown stronger while the rest had worked hard to catch up. I had to make some hard choices at the beginning. Even with the expanded capacity, I simply couldn't focus on every single one of the Pokémon I had ever caught. Doing so would seriously hinder the time I could invest in every individual one.

After an initial test phase I had to settle on roughly two battle teams, consisting of those showing the most promise for now. Next to the six Sinnoh Champions those turned out to be Charizard, Feraligatr – Squirtle did join us sometimes but his squad duties had him busy far too often for a more active role –, Bulbasaur and Pidgeot. Swellow was competing with the latter and I had realized that I seemed to have developed a certain aptness for aerial combat, so I did tend to have more than a few Flying types along. Other than Jolteon whom I was still hesitant to use in actual combat for now, there were a few others waiting in reserve. Snorlax provided some elemental variety. Noctowl served for special situations where his special talents could become useful. And Sceptile and Bayleaf hadn't quite given up on earning their place either.

Yes, we had all definitely become stronger. Personally I felt that within a few more months, we should be ready for the Master League and with that hopefully for any other challenge the future would hold for us. Still, I couldn't help but worry. Especially for Dawn. She had already given me so much and this time I had promised that I would support her in achieving her dream. Already the hype around my Sinnoh League victory and the increasing Team Rocket activity had hampered our travels more than I expected. Now her dreams seemed to be getting worse, too, and I couldn't help but draw a connection between the latter two.

No, just being ready wasn't enough. I couldn't allow myself to be caught off guard or those I loved could very well experience the consequences. Nodding to myself in determination, I closed my Pokégear and went over to my team.

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**Saffron City Gym, Kanto (Dawn)**

The door was rather unassuming. A simple, normal door. Nothing special, in fact almost too normal for a Gym with one of the youngest, most renown and powerful psychic adepts in the world. Perhaps there was some hidden secret? Maybe it couldn't be opened normally but only through telekinesis? Maybe if someone stepped through they'd be pulled into another dimension...

Okay, okay, I was stalling and I knew it. Yesterday night and even this morning it had seemed like such a good idea. Now though, I was getting scared. Scared of the things that were happening with me. Scared of what it could mean. I wouldn't admit that out loud, of course, but that was the blatant truth and reason why I had shied away from addressing this problem further.

"Come in."

I nearly jumped to the ceiling, hearing Sabrina's voice loud and clear through the door. Before I could even try to process how she knew I was here, the door ominously swung open... all by itself. I suppressed a shiver and squared my shoulders. Nothing would be gained from standing around, ruled by indecision. All that would accomplish was worrying Ash further which I really didn't want to.

The office once again was fairly normal, aside from the various dolls lining the shelves on the wall. Sabrina was sitting relaxed behind a desk, yet I felt her eyes studying me with an uncomfortable intensity. She was really creeping me out.

"Um..." I began, suddenly feeling quite self-conscious. "How did you know I was here?"

I think her smile was creeping me out even more. I know what Ash told me and that the young woman here wasn't the same as the person he had first met and whom had remained in many rumors, but I couldn't help the reaction. "You checked in at the gate." Ah. I began to smile hesitantly in wry humor... then she added, "And your thoughts were broadcasting all over the place. I couldn't help but hear, even during yesterday's match." Well, that was at least more like what I had expected.

When Sabrina gestured for me to have a seat, I did so wordlessly, my thoughts and emotions still in turmoil. I was sure she could tell, perhaps every single one of them. "Dawn, was it? What can I do for you?" Apparently she wouldn't make it easy on me though. That intense gaze was burning away all my defenses and I felt exposed like never before. Why couldn't she just look into my head and take the information from there?

I bit my lip upon realizing just how childish I was behaving. Nothing would ever get done by agonizing over the topic but never addressing it. I had done this all the time so far and that didn't make it any better. Ash trusted Sabrina to help me out and so should I. In the end, I was not afraid of her. I was afraid of the truth, the meaning behind my dreams.

So, reluctantly but with a quiet resolve, I began to tell her about the dreams that had started the first time during the Sinnoh League tournament and had increased over the last months in frequency and intensity.

Once I was done, Sabrina sat back with a thoughtful but otherwise unreadable expression. Seconds, then minutes ticked by without a word spoken. Just when I was ready to burst, something happened. It was like someone had run an electric feed inside my head. It was just for an instant but I cried out more in surprise than discomfort. "As I thought," Sabrina finally spoke. "Tell me, during the match yesterday, did you feel something? Like a connection to my Psychic types?"

My eyes widened but I really shouldn't have been surprised that she had picked up on it. "To be honest, I think yesterday wasn't the first time." I plucked a Pokéball out of my bag and pressed the release button. Espeon popped out and almost instantly focused on the Gym Leader, her eyes measuring and guarded. "Ever since I got her, I felt a stronger connection than I ever had to any other Pokémon I just caught. I tried to ignore and shrug it off to just coincidence, but when I felt the same thing yesterday, I wasn't so sure anymore."

Sabrina nodded quietly. "I will be honest with you, Dawn. Just now was the first time I tried to actively read your mind since you came here. Your reaction is proof enough for what I suspected already. Tell me, you've never had any psychic abilities that you are aware of so far?" I shook my head, still amazed that all the time she hadn't used her powers at all, wondering just what exactly that meant.

"Well... For some reason, it seems you have awakened some kind of psychic potential. For someone to just pick it up though without having possessed the ability from the start is rather uncommon. No, almost unheard of." I gulped deeply, as she stood up. "I am afraid I cannot provide you with an answer for your dreams, but perhaps I can help you find an answer by yourself." She walked around the desk and came to stand directly in front of me. Espeon hissed quietly at my side but Sabrina ignored it.

Suddenly I felt rather tiny and insignificant, smothered by an unseen weight that, if I wasn't careful enough could easily crush me. Again I felt a brush against my mind but this time it was more soothing and I began to calm down slightly. Her gaze now wasn't as intense as before. It was gentle and understanding and I felt foolish for ever experiencing discomfort in this woman's presence. From what Ash told me, she had lived with psychic powers all her life and it had nearly destroyed her and her family. If anyone could and would understand my problems, then it was her.

"The only question you need to ask and answer for yourself is. Do you trust me to help discovering what you can do? Or... more importantly: Do you trust yourself to find the answers you fear and make these fears into something to draw strength from?"

Despite how close those words came to my own turbulent emotions, I didn't think she had to read my mind to figure this out. And the answer was something both of us knew already. However, it couldn't be just a decision born out of necessity. I think that was what Sabrina wanted to say. I had to make the decision for myself and with the resolve to live with the outcome.

"I do," I finally replied firmly. As much as I tried to run away from it, I could feel, deep down in myself, that whatever these dreams meant, whatever these powers were Sabrina thought I was developing, they had a purpose. And I refused to believe... No, I knew they were meant to be a good thing.

Sabrina pulled back and walked towards the door. "Then come. You don't have much time. So the best way to do this is... if we have a battle."

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**(Narrator)**

Dawn and Sabrina stand across each other on the field of Saffron City's Gym. Espeon and Xatu were squaring off in the middle, ready for an intense battle. Slowly the screen fades away as the match starts.

"And so our heroes are starting to prepare for the next challenges ahead of them. Both professional as well as quite personal. Yet, on the horizon, an ominous darkness awaits, much more dreadful than anyone can imagine at the moment."

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**Author's Notes**

That's it for the first Prologue. And yes, I realize that ca. 8000+ words is not exactly small for something called Prologue. ^_^ Since this will be released in short intervals with the other two, I shall refrain from blabbering too much here. Just two story specifics to address.

If anyone didn't get May's troubles in 1-8, then I think you do now. I was half-tempted to dance around the subject longer but simply couldn't be bothered. Keeping things like this in a way where it might actually still surprise the readers as much as the protagonists, is rather tough and, much more important, can get rather awkward. After all, you don't really try to keep your secret affection secret in your own head, right? At least not unless you are still in denial. From prior experiences I know how stupid prolonged continuation of such a practice would look like. So, there you have it. Since you do not know where exactly I am going with this development, I still retain a few options of surprising you a bit.

The other thing is once again a reminiscent of the old TFSTTM. Yes, I am speaking of Naru and the other Eevee evolutions introduced very briefly in this chapter. If there still are any older readers, you probably caught the parallel and where I might be going with it, otherwise you'll just have to wait and see.

Lastly, let's all take a minute and honor the end of Negima. Regardless of how flawed and rushed the last chapters were, everyone should admit that we all had a lot of fun with this manga, right?

Feedback as always appreciated and very much welcome. Considering my fluttery motivation, it can only help to keep me going. Do not be afraid to leave signed ones on ff . net or at least give me some means to contact you. I do appreciate healthy criticism and any opportunity to discuss your or my ideas.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	11. 02P2: Interweaving Roads!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Second Prologue

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre Note**

Sorry about the poll not being up as promised. It was my first time making one on this infernal site (yes, I am still rather mad), I didn't realize I had to include it into my profile to be seen... Now, it's up, so please vote. The outcome really doesn't matter too much, I can deal with it either way (otherwise I wouldn't put up a poll for it).

However, what does matter... is your feedback. Where is everyone who always reviewed? I know a lot of people did read (or at least clicked on the story) and I know a lot of new favorites etc. were added. But there wasn't a single review for the first prologue. I don't think I ever had a single chapter without a review in this story. So, please let me know what you think, okay?

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**(Narrator)**

"After we had a look at Ash, Dawn's and in extension May's past months, today we will look at two other people whose paths are about to cross and intervene in ways they cannot suspect right now... mmphhhhywha?"

Okay, okay, I get it! You don't have to gag me! Geez, that was a perfectly normal teaser, you just made it more suspicious than it sounded!

"Ahem. First let us see how our other finalist has been doing. Now where is our beautiful, young Master... Ah!" I spot Leaf among the wreckage of a large building. Several people in what on closer inspection looks like Team Rocket uniforms are scattered all over the place in various states of distress. Arrayed around Leaf are her Umbreon, Houndoom and Tyranitar, the latter just casually swiping two heavy Golem with his tail and sending them crashing through a still standing wall...

"Oh my, looks like there has been quite some action going on here."

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**(Leaf)**

"I-I don't know anything, you monster!"

Unimpressed, I knelt down next to the man. Beaten and bruised as he was, there was no danger of retaliation and I knew the grunt was just trying to cover his fear with false bravado. After only three of my Pokémon had practically torn his and those of his colleagues to shreds, I wasn't too surprised at being compared to some inhuman creature.

Really didn't they watch the tournament? Everyone else was talking about it after all, so what were they expecting? Of course, criminals tended to have this delusion of superiority, the belief that they were better than anyone. In their twisted minds they probably thought my match with Ash had greatly exaggerated our abilities in some ways.

Well... They knew better now.

"Really now? Perhaps you want to think a little harder." I waved with one hand and Shadow trotted to my side. Directing glowing eyes at the Rocket grunt, her intimidating gaze made the man swallow but this obviously wasn't enough. "I hear Toxic works much faster on the human body," I said sinisterly, certainly managing to make the fear spill over into terror. Oh, not like I would do that. There was no need to stoop down to their level. A good old threat could go a long way though.

When Shadow opened her mouth menacingly, the grunt slid back hastily, waving his hands in a warding gesture. "Okay, okay! Please, don't kill me!" I waited patiently and Shadow took a step forward. "All I know is that the higher ups are going to do something big soon. We've all been on alert and getting drilled for some kind of big raid but they don't tell us grunts much. Please... I'm just in this for the money!"

Sighing internally, I let the disappointment wash over me. Although expecting as much, I had hoped that this one would give us something more substantial. None of those here probably knew anything that we didn't already and those higher up the ladder within Team Rocket were almost impossible to find, much less to catch these days.

"You should think of a new line of work." Nodding to Shadow, my first Pokémon knocked the grunt out with a quick hypnosis and I stood up to observe the battlefield. There wasn't much left of the base. Not because we had done so much carnage. They had blown up their own base before we could even set foot in it. And this hadn't been the first time this happened. Obviously there was a standing order from the leaders of Team Rocket and it made our investigation only that much harder.

Pulling out my Pokégear, I called in to Headquarters. "Black here. Base is secured. Same result as last time."

Siegfried's face appeared on screen a moment later. His was as disappointed as I felt. "Another dead end then?"

"Nothing we don't already know. This really worries me. They might just all have been grunts but we've taken down a lot of minor hideouts and arrested a lot of them. Even Team Rocket cannot afford to lose that much manpower, especially if they are going to do something big." It was left unspoken what we both thought. That this was precisely what it seemed like. That they had some kind of secret weapon which made sacrificing smaller, unimportant bases along with a lot of lower-level members not matter in the long run. Just thinking of the possibilities of what could be giving them such confidence, had me only more on edge.

Siegfried sighed in defeat. "It can't be helped. Good work out there. A team will be by shortly to take in the prisoners." There was a pause. "After that, take a break. You've already been working harder than what is healthy."

I chuckled slightly. "Is that an order?" Honestly, it wasn't like this had been much of an effort. Fighting Ash in the finals had taken more out of me than taking out a Team Rocket base full of rookies and lowly grunts. Ash could have done it with some help even before his training. But both Siegfried and Cynthia, two of the few that knew the extent of the kind of crisis our world was inevitable moving towards, had more than once voiced their concerns in how I was pushing myself to resolve this.

"We are just worried, Leaf. You've barely done anything but hunting down leads and Rockets. I know you don't like sitting around but you will burn yourself out at this rate even before the shit hits the fan." And that was precisely the point. I didn't want it to come this. I didn't want the worst outcome. The little bit Zoroark had been able to tell me was bad enough and while I still lacked a lot of information, I could not just sit back and let everything happen. If there was some chance to prevent this crisis – or at the very least some of it –, I would take it.

I breathed in and out deeply to calm my frustrations. "Alright, alright. I have some personal matters to attend to anyway. I promise, it won't be anything to straining." But it was important and high time I confirmed my deductions in this particular area. I was pretty much certain about all the others, this one was the last I needed to confirm.

Siegfried looked skeptical but relented with a sigh. "Alright. Just don't push yourself too much. You are not alone in this, got it?" I nodded quietly before the image disappeared from the Pokégear.

No, I wasn't alone and I was seriously glad for that. However, there were some things only I and some others could do. If worst came to worst, having Them prepared was even more important. Figuring out the other Chosen's identities hadn't been that hard. There was a single connection that bound all of them together and that narrowed the possible candidates down to a bare minimum. I had figured most of this out during the tournament already and at the end was quite sure about three of them, four myself included. The fifth was quickly confirmed after a short visit to a certain Coordinator in Sinnoh, along with setting her on a path that would ensure she was prepared when the time came.

That only left one more candidate to scout out. I was as sure about this one as I could be with any of the others without a proper confirmation by the Legendaries but I wanted... no, I needed to see for myself.

"Are we going to visit the last one?" Zoroark had quietly appeared by my side, Zorua riding atop his head as usual. I looked back down at the map I had called up and the displayed location. Cerulean City.

"Yes, it's about time. I've put this off long enough, perhaps too long. Siegfried might be right and I have to see reality for what it is. Perhaps there really is nothing I can do to stop this."

Zoroark tilted his head slightly and after a short silence eventually spoke. "I don't think it is wrong to try. At the very least your actions will ensure that everyone is much better prepared."

Touched by the encouragement, I patted the Fox Pokémon gently. "Thanks. Let us just hope it is enough."

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Prologue 2: Interweaving Roads! An Unexpected Encounter!

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**(Misty)**

"I'm home!"

There was no response when I strode into the Cerulean City Gym. I didn't expect one considering the doors had been locked and no signs of activity could be seen from outside. Not even my secretary who usually took care of managing challengers and appointments wasn't there.

"Great. They couldn't even wait for me, could they?" Well, I had no real right to be upset. At the very least my sisters had started to take their duties a little bit more serious and had agreed to handle the Gym for short periods of time so that I could have some time for myself. Sure, it had taken quite a big argument and a temper explosion after a hectic and stressful month, further compromised by fans from my sisters interrupting business... Needless to say, it hadn't been pretty, yet the end result had been satisfying.

Arriving at the pool, I took out my Pokémon and released them for a much needed swim, my freshly caught Wailmer made a big splash, upsetting some of the others. I really had to find a solution for him. In this form Wailmer was barely adequate for the pool, if he evolved that would make things a lot more difficult.

At least Vaporeon seemed to have fun with the new addition, immediately scrambling onto the larger Pokémon's back. Seeing how meek she often was, especially around new people or Pokémon, I couldn't help a smile at the sight and the rest of my Pokémon also ceased their protests and watched the quickly bonding pair.

Just this one scene was enough to convince me that my last trip was a success after all. Sure, all I really had caught was Wailmer but aside from what was happening right now, I could safely say that the extra training had paid off.

With a satisfied grin I fished the small box out of my pocket and took out the two badges and one ribbon. Obtaining them hadn't been an easy task, especially since I had asked the other Gym Leaders to not hold back in order to see how far I had gotten over the last year. Picking both Celadon and Vermilion City Gyms meant going not only against a clear type advantage but Erika and Lt. Surge were also experienced Gym Leaders who had been doing this for quite some time.

Well Surge had certainly been surprised to have Raichu shown up by a Starmie. Electricity really wasn't much of a problem for it anymore though. I had to thank Rudy for giving me the idea all these years ago. What had started as a pet project on the side during our journey that I had almost given up on, we had taken up during our first training trip again. A lot of resistance training and element control later, Starmie had managed to spin counter Electric attacks in ways even Rudy's Starmie probably never could hope to achieve.

Gyarados had pulled a lot of weight against Erika. It had been the easier fight of the two, especially after tackling Vermilion first. Yet, no less, Erika had proven why she had been in this business for awhile now and made me sweat quite a bit. Everyone else had also given their best and I was very proud of them.

And the Contest in Celadon had been a whole different experience. A lot of fun and definitely something that I might do more often if I ever found the time. Really, I was almost sad Contests hadn't been around when I had still been travelling with Ash and Brock. It had been a truly exhilarating experience and young Vaporeon had gained quite a bit of confidence from her performance, that much was obvious.

Yes, this trip had been successful. All my Pokémon had been training hard with me and sometimes I had doubts if I wasn't pushing them too hard. But they wouldn't have any of it and I was really glad for their motivation and perseverance.

Watching Ash perform in last year's Sinnoh League had been an eye opener. Seeing my old and probably best friend getting so far ahead of me, my self-confidence had seriously taken a damper. I had resolved then to get stronger but it hadn't been until convincing my sisters to make some time for me to take smaller trips that I could leave the Gym behind... at least for shorter periods of time. Anything more and our reputation would plummet back right through the floor.

_I really need an assistant_, I mused, _a professional one._ This hadn't been the first time I thought about it. Even if they had agreed, my sisters were still horrid when it came to battling. I could take them in a 3-1 these days – that means really three of their Pokémon against one of mine – and still clean the floor with them. If I didn't leave some of my more well-trained Pokémon behind every time I went out, they could just go back to handing out badges without a fight again.

Being Gym Leader really wasn't an easy job, more like a full-time occupation. I was beginning to understand why so many famous ones all over the regions had some sort of secondary occupation, even going so far as closing down their Gyms from time to time. Doing this all year without break could really tear at your resolve otherwise. Unfortunately I didn't quite have that option yet. Those last years had been a lot of work in bringing up the Cerulean City Gym's reputation but I didn't quite have the longstanding credit yet. Even as much as I wished for some longer-term break and perhaps some good old travelling with Ash and the others again.

I had to chuckle at the thought. Certainly it wasn't easy to be Ash these days either. From growing up with my famous sisters I had some experience with media hypes and even if it was slowly dying down, these last months must have been tough on him.

He and Dawn had passed through here briefly, unfortunately they had been as much pressed for time as I had been busy then and so all it had amounted to was a brief talk. I wished I could have gotten to know Dawn a little better. While I had no lingering attachment in any romantic way to Ash, I still cared and would have liked to get to know the girl that apparently made him very happy. The little impression I got simply wasn't enough for a real opinion.

Of course, thinking about Ash had me thinking about her. I didn't quite know why, since we had never personally met, but somehow Leaf had made an even greater impression on me during the Sinnoh League final. While Ash's growth had shown me how far I was behind, it had been the young Master's example that showed me that being a girl and being an Elite Trainer wasn't necessarily excluding one another, even at a young age. I had found myself researching quite a bit on her history and without really noticing she became a kind of inspiration for myself.

_Geez, listen to me. It's like I'm a kid with a hero worship._ I grinned wryly and shook of the reminiscent thoughts. They wouldn't get me anywhere. From here on out, all I could do was walk forward and do the best I could. After all, I did love this Gym and my work here. I wanted to make the Cerulean Gym famous and wouldn't stop until... no, even if I succeeded. Growing up as the "ugly one" out of four sisters, with three older ones already quite famous in their own way, this was my path to step out of their shadow and be recognized for my own efforts and talents.

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**(Leaf)**

_It has been awhile since I've been here_, I mused. Celadon City hadn't changed very much. In fact, much of Kanto wasn't very susceptible to change. Not sure if this was a good or bad thing but I never had a problem with it. Sometimes staying traditional was perfectly fine.

I took another corner on my way to my destination and stopped cold. There were certain things I wished would change after all. It was hardly the ice café's fault but I could do without the brief pang in my heart. Shaking my head violently, I made a sharp turn and took an alley to the side, deciding to take a detour.

Only after a full two minutes of walking in silence, did I start to reprimand myself for acting like that. I really thought I had been over it. At least not to get worked up about such reminders. But perhaps I really had just buried my feelings deep enough not to think of them. Was that why I had put off doing this for longer than necessary? Because this place had been where we had our first date and the city would remind me of that?

"Mou, Leaf. Get a grip. You don't have time to mope."

Without even realizing it, I had actually ended up in front of my destination. Blinking in surprise and noticing I had been longer and deeper in thought than I realized, I forcefully stomped down on my jumbled thoughts and emotions. That had been a long time ago and it had been long over. Why the hell was I getting nostalgic over something like this now? There really were more important matters to attend to.

Now here was something that HAD changed. The Cerulean City Gym definitely didn't look like a performance hall ready for a famous play anymore. Okay, maybe it hadn't been that bad but one had certainly been able to see the reflection of its Gym Leaders as famous water show performers back then. Too bad they absolutely had had no talent in battle whatsoever.

Gone was all the flourish, all the small details that showed some manner of extravagance and definitely not a single promotion poster for an upcoming show. Just from what little I could see from out here, the Gym had definitely changed for the better.

Stepping through the doors, I found my first impression only further confirmed. Everything screamed professional, all the way to a nicely arranged front desk with a secretary. The young woman looked up briefly. "I'm sorry. The Gym Leader just came back yesterday and won't be free until afternoon."

I was disappointed for a moment but then reminded myself that I was here on official purpose and actually had the authority to prove it. While I had certainly found myself making use of my new status as a Master more often than I wished over the last months, it was these small normal things where I sometimes forgot about my new privileges.

"While I don't mind waiting a bit, I'm sure the Gym Leader will make time for a Master, right?"

The secretary's head snapped back up as I flashed my badge at her. This time she took a better look and realization seemed to dawn on her. Well, at least it seemed that the people that mattered still remembered my face. "Ah! Master Leaf, what an honor. I mean, I didn't... I wasn't..."

Chuckling at the woman's panic, I made a placating gesture. "Don't worry about it. If you could just announce me, that would be perfectly fine. I do have all day but this could take a little longer."

The secretary nodded frantically and reached for her phone... then stopped. "Um... What should I tell Miss Misty why you wish to see her?"

I smiled. "I'm afraid my information are only for her and me to know. But why don't you tell her I would like to have a little match with her while I'm here."

While the secretary was still gaping, I grinned to myself. Yes, that would do nicely. A match would lift my mood, make me focus and at the same time get me my confirmation all in one.

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Less than 20 minutes later – faster than I expected – I was walking into the large pool area that doubled as the arena field. That was as much as I expected and for a moment I felt myself reminded of the battle with Ash, some of the heaviest fights having taken place on a similar field.

Then I spotted the Gym Leader and momentarily froze.

I had not met Misty when I came and collected my badge all these years ago, neither had I bothered to go through the files prior to coming here. Thus I only had an old picture Ash sent me once during his journey to go by. That didn't quite match with the present and hardly did her justice. With her hair undone, falling in a long wave over her shoulders all the way down to her back, a physique that spoke of regular training keeping her in shape at the very least, a one-piece, stylish bathing suit in a deep blue bringing out her matured features quite nicely...

Two emotions were playing havoc inside myself. First of all was the somewhat superficial but still uncanny resemblance to Rebecca. I might have shrugged it off. Really, it was mostly the long hair and the same eyes... But this was the second thing that reminded me of her today and so I couldn't help but wonder if fate just liked to play cruel tricks on me.

The other emotion though was perhaps even stronger and allowed me to push the resemblance aside for the shocking realization that I had been instantly smitten. That hadn't happened since Rebecca and seeing those eyes – so similar to hers – turn to me in confusion, I realized that I was staring... and probably salivating a bit, too.

"Good morning. Thank you for making time for me. I realize my visit is unannounced but I just had to see this talented and beautiful uprising Gym Leader of Cerulean City for myself." Oh yes, I could still do it. The furious blush when the words fully registered was definitely worth all the depressing reminders of a past relationship today.

The embarrassment didn't hold long though. "Ex-Excuse me?! What is that supposed to mean? I'm not sure I like these kinds of jokes." Well, she certainly seemed as passionate and easy to rile up as Rebecca... Okay, enough of the comparisons. Building a new relationship on similarities to an old one was only bound to end in despair... And why was I thinking about a relationship already?

That didn't stop me from keeping up the effort though. "Ah, now why would I be joking about the truth?" Slowly I walked around to the other side of the pool, letting her process my flirting a bit longer, before turning around, expression more serious. I took out a Pokéball. "For now though... Shall we?"

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**(Misty)**

I wasn't quite sure what surprised me more. The fact that the girl I had come to admire lately showing up at my Gym and challenging me to a fight or that she wasn't quite what I had expected. What was it that I had expected anyway? She was barely older than me, in fact I believe that we were about the same age. Did I really expect some super cool, composed Trainer, the very image of professionalism? Whatever it was, it hadn't been quite... this.

"Aren't you going to tell me first why you are really here?" I asked suspiciously, stomping down on my temper and the undeniable feeling of being quite flattered by her comments. After a childhood of being the black sheep of the family, I was rather susceptible to getting complimented about my looks. That, however, also meant that I was naturally quite suspicious about such comments and couldn't just gracefully accept them. Really, I was already making more out of this than necessary. She was obviously just teasing and I should take it good-naturedly.

Leaf smiled and I couldn't help the flutter in my heart again as much as I tried not to. "There is something I have to see first. Let's say I'd like to see how strong you are. What I have to discuss with you, depends on your performance."

That really didn't tell me much but then again, it wasn't like I was adverse to the idea of such a challenge. I held no illusion over whether or not I was ready to fight at her level after what I saw at the Sinnoh League final. However, the chance to see how far I could measure up against a talented, young Master like her was certainly appealing to me. "Fine by me. But don't think it's going to be easy. My Pokémon are in top form. We had quite a few successes on our last trip, so you won't find us an easy match."

Leaf laughed. "That's the spirit. Why don't we make it a little more interesting? If I win, you take me out to something nice." Damn it, what was it with her and all the flirting? Was she actually serious?! While I was still trying to fight down the renewed blush, the other girl just had to make it only harder. "And if you win, it's my treat." That just amounted to the same thing! Where was the choice in that?!

As sudden as the flirting had started, her expression became serious again. I just couldn't quite get a grip on this girl's character and it started to intrig... err, annoy me! "Two on two. You can change during battle. Alright?" she suggested.

Gripping one of my Pokéballs tight enough that it hurt my fingers, I shoved the irritating thoughts and feelings aside. Mess with me in my own Gym, would she? Fine with me, I'd give her a fight she wouldn't forget. "Let's do this."

I didn't quite realize that by never acknowledging her "conditions", I had more or less agreed to it... and that this didn't bother me as much as it should.

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**(Leaf)**

"As I thought, I'm still no good against someone like you," Misty sipped on her drink with a slightly sour expression, although not quite that disappointed as one might expect. The match had gone as expected, of course. Even employing a light limiter – anything more would have been insulting and defying the purpose of the test –, I had won both matches. However, it had been far more challenging than I had dared to even hope.

"Don't sell yourself short. In fact, I would almost say you have about caught up with Ash before the Sinnoh League Conference. And all that on your own. I am surprised, really. What kind of training did you do for such good results?"

When she told me, I was a little shocked. Okay, personally I think that anyone could come up with the basic ideas for my training regiment and perhaps more people thought about it... However, very few had the courage and persistence to fully go through with it, not to mention the kind of bond, the trust necessary to achieve the highest results from such grueling methods. Misty had, albeit in a toned-down version, more or less recreated my own training program. In fact her method was so similar to what I had started out with during my journey, it was downright scary. The redhead certainly had managed to erase even the slightest doubt that she was a part of the six.

"Well, that certainly saves me some time. I suppose part of my reason for coming here has already been taken care of," I admitted and took a bite from my tuna. The restaurant was certainly a nice place and I was enjoying myself quite a bit in the pleasant company. I had always been someone who quickly bonded with people through battle and from the brief but intense match, I had only gotten more interested in the other girl.

"Oh?" Misty raised one eyebrow and I could see an amused twinkle in her eyes. "I thought your sole purpose was to flirt with me?" Yes, definitely liked her more and more. Ever since our battle, it seemed like she had caught herself and wasn't so easy to throw off anymore.

"Disappointed that it isn't?"

Misty snorted. "You wish. I'm sure I could do better."

Oh yes, definitely. I liked a girl that could keep up with me. Now she was downright challenging me and I was never one to back down from one. And I certainly had more experience in this kind of battle. Leaning forward slightly, I made sure to hold her gaze and settled on the most mesmerizing stare I could. "Oh? I am sure with your beauty and elegance you would have no problem getting whoever you want."

Score. There was that pretty blush almost matching her face to her hair again. Bringing up her looks was something I quickly learned would always bring out a reaction. A good thing I had learned a few things from Ash about her family situation. I could clearly sympathize with her more and also knew what buttons to push. "But could they really do better?" I added with an all too innocent blink of my eyes.

Misty flushed even more, then suddenly turned away with a cough. I settled back with a satisfied grin, more than happy to leave it at that for now. No need to rush. So far I hadn't gotten any negative signals, no need to push my luck. Besides, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to actively pursue a relationship at this time. Not with what was going to come.

After taking a full minute to compose herself, Misty turned back, but couldn't quite meet my eyes yet. I smiled slightly. "Alright, alright already. So what exactly did you want with me in the first place?"

Yes, I suppose it was about time to get to the heart of the matter. Or at least as much as I dared to tell at the moment.

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**(Misty)**

"You really have to go already?" I couldn't help keep the disappointment out of my voice. One thing that really got to me about being a Gym Leader was that I had little contact with anyone outside a specific circle, mostly Trainers coming for a badge – fleeting encounters at best – and a few people around the city. Aside from that it could get kind of lonely. While on duty I hardly got to do simple things like today and I had to admit, it had been rather fun.

Leaf looked apologetic. "I still have a lot of work to do. As much as I would like to actually kick back and relax, I promised myself to do everything I can." I certainly could understand that. Even I, as a relatively fresh Gym Leader, had heard enough of the increasing activity of Team Rocket and how much it seemed to have the League troubled. To think something so... far-reaching was behind it. I still had trouble wrapping my mind around it. And that had only been a small portion of what Leaf seemed to know.

I felt rather touched. It seemed I had been the first one she had told as much as she did know, only leaving hints with the others. If that was merely because she felt the time was drawing closer or some other reason, I wasn't sure. However, I couldn't help secretly hoping it was a far more personal motivation.

"Please... come again." I spoke without even realizing it but the words were honest. "I... enjoyed myself today."

Leaf smiled brightly, a sight that I had come to like very much over the course of a single day. "So did I. I'll be back, after all I have to see how much better you've gotten then."

I couldn't help but smile back, taking her offered hand and squeezing a little tighter than necessary. "Ha, next time it won't be so easy."

She squeezed right back. "I know. You have all the foundations for a strong Pokémon Trainer... no, perhaps an Elite, if you keep working on improving yourself. I look forward to the next time."

And that was all that would be said. Leaf turned and walked away from the Gym, just as suddenly disappearing from my life as she had come into it. Yet she left that life in quite a bit of turmoil over the course of just a single day. I wasn't stupid, after all. Unless I was completely mistaken in my initial assessment, Leaf was the kind of person that while playful and teasing, was quite serious about her intentions and would let the other know if she was really just playing around. I hadn't gotten any signals that she was merely playing.

So did that bother me? Not really. First of all, I had had my fair share of comments – both from my sisters and other kids – about being a tomboy as a kid and there certainly had been a few rumors mixed in about me liking girls... Which was stupid, of course. Not that I was adverse to the idea itself entirely. Merely that I really had no clear opinion on the matter and frankly little interest at the time.

Personally I found the idea of slapping specific labels on people just because of the way they acted rather foolish. Those that did the labeling, hardly knew anything about the person and thus I always tried to have an open mind. A girl liking girls, I could accept and unless I confirmed the opposite wouldn't outright reject the possibility for myself either.

I can't say I expected the first day after my return to take such an interesting twist but I wasn't unhappy about it. Leaf was not quite what I expected and that might actually have been for the best. Just talking with her – and only a small portion of that really revolved around why she had come in the first place – had been rather enjoyable. She was fun and easy to talk with.

Even the short almost fiasco of my suggestion to take her out to the popular ice café, hadn't put a dent in the mood for long. I suppose it said a lot about whether or not I was getting attracted to the other girl that I felt rather bad when I realized I had unintentionally brought up a painful subject but she had just shrugged it off with a, "Just a sad memory" and gracefully accepted my quickly suggested alternative. The subject was quickly forgotten and that actually had made me happy. I liked to see the cheerful Leaf definitely more than the depressed one.

Okay, so yes, I guess I was getting attracted. Not sure what it meant. I had never really been in love. I had been confused for awhile about Ash but these feelings had by now settled and I could safely say, they hadn't been deeply romantic. There had been Rudy, but back then I had still been confused about Ash to even give it serious thought.

I believe the one thing that Leaf had managed almost instantly, that barely anyone ever had managed to do, was making me feel like a girl. A simple, normal girl. Not the tough Gym Leader, the tomboy, the runt of the family. You could barely call the little outing a "date" and she really hadn't done anything special but I admit getting showered with compliments that I knew despite their teasing nature were quite serious, did feel exceptionally good. Her presence somehow had worked right past all my usual barriers and before I knew it, I had started to relax.

That it had to be a girl to make me feel like one myself was kind of funny and the irony wasn't lost on me. Perhaps it was a sign though. For what I wasn't quite sure. At the very least to look forward to meeting her again and see where this attraction could lead to.

Not right now though. There hadn't been a need to say so, not after what I had learned today. I suppose that was the main reason why she had kept it strictly to light flirting and teasing. Too many things would be a deterrent for any kind of stronger relationship right now. First of all, we both had different duties that kept us busy. I was mostly stuck here, while she was moving around a lot. But even more than that, I got the impression that she didn't want to have such a distraction right now. I could understand that and respected her unspoken wishes.

And yet, a part of me couldn't help but feel sad seeing her leave again. That part of me wanted to pursue what had started today, wanted to see where it would lead, wanted to be there for her... The strength of these feelings, however small that part of me really was right now, were surprising. I wasn't sure that even I wanted a distraction like that right now... regardless how much I had enjoyed myself. I couldn't afford to, if I wanted to get stronger. And I needed to get stronger. More so now than ever before.

Yes, that's right. Perhaps that was the right angle. Maybe by getting stronger, I could show her that I could stand by her side and not be a distraction!

Nodding to myself, only much later realizing how far less uncertain about the direction of my feelings this kind of thought sounded, I turned around and walked back into the Gym, ready to train harder than I had ever before.

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**(Narrator)**

"It would seem Leaf's initial reasons for visiting Misty have produced an unexpected extra result. Where exactly will the paths of these two lead and will something more come out of this encounter? I guess you will have to stay tuned for the answer!"

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**Author's Notes**

I am... not quite sure if I did this well. There were some parts that worked, but a lot of stuff, especially some of the dialogue didn't really flow... I think part of the problem was that I wanted to keep this short for now, so I had to gloss over a lot of parts which really didn't do developing a first interest between two people that have met for the first time proper respect. I apologize if this feels rushed and bumpy in some parts. There actually have been a few gaps I couldn't really work in that I really wanted and that I now have to relegate to the main portion of this arc. Oh well, more flashbacks.

If anyone is now put off because of the possibility of a femmeslash/shoujo ai/yuri relationship in this story... I did give a fair warning in the first arc, I believe. Besides, Leaf's orientation had been made quite clear from the beginning, so this shouldn't be a surprise. So I don't want to hear any senseless complaints about it. If you don't like, you don't have to stay. Just don't expect to get around it in this story... or almost any of mine for that matter.

That's it for this prologue. One more to go. That one should actually be on a little bit of a lighter note than the first two.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	12. 02P3: Brock's Dream

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Third Prologue

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**(Narrator)**

"Today we will be taking a small detour to a place very few people know even exists. Nestled in a forested area of the Johto region, between Goldenrod and Violet City, lies a secret training center for those aspiring a medical career. But it is not just a simple medical school either. In this quiet, idyllic setting we find Brock just about to begin his day."

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Prologue 3: Brock's Dream. Welcome to Heal Bell Academy!

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**Somewhere in Johto (Brock)**

The morning light barely began to creep over the treetops when my day had already begun. I have to say, at first it had been pretty tough. Not that I was bad with mornings. Compared to Ash – and to some degree Dawn as well – I considered myself actually quite capable of waking and functioning early. Not quite this level of early though. Rising at the crack of dawn had happened sometimes, but usually was never a high priority while on the road unless we had to make a long distance track.

Well, I had gotten used to it by now and I couldn't afford to slack off. I had decided on this new road in life wholeheartedly and was determined to become the best I could. It was kind of funny though that without that one specific meeting I might have never known about this place or had the chance to come here at all.

**Flashback**

"So, you are a Breeder?"

It took me some effort to tear my mind away from the paramount happiness of actual dancing with a pretty girl – and getting asked to it as well! However, strangely enough I felt unusually calm in the girl's company. She couldn't be older than me. In fact, we were probably about the same age. Of course I was attracted but somehow it wasn't the same as usual. There was something more about Ako that I couldn't quite pinpoint yet.

"Hmm, that was the plan originally. Lately I'm torn because I also felt I might want to become a Pokémon Doctor instead. On the one hand, I enjoy taking care of Pokémon but at the same time I'm not sure I want to stop travelling altogether. Being a Breeder and travelling with my friends, without that I don't think I would have even half the knowledge that I do today." I had been torn about this decision for awhile now and couldn't find a clear advantage for either path.

Ako smiled lightly which was definitely a pretty sight, yet her answer was definitely shocking enough that I would forget any further thoughts along those lines for awhile. "What if I told you, there was a way to do both?"

**End Flashback**

Heal Bell Academy was a relatively new organization. In fact Ako was still a student herself, part of the first batch ever recruited. The Academy was a project founded by the League, primarily from the need for qualified personnel to treat their teams of Masters and other official investigators during missions. Pure doctors often would be a liability in a potential hostile situation and would only perform in a reduced fashion without the right equipment at hand. Whereas a Breeder or otherwise skilled person with on the spot treatment skills usually lacked the theoretical knowledge to perform efficiently enough. The kinds of missions that the League usually had in mind were also highly dangerous, which meant a healthy combat ability would also be required.

The main idea behind a Field Medic was to combine theoretical knowledge that a full doctor would have and could apply, with practical methods of treatments Breeders were mostly known for. So far both the training program and the actual end result were highly flexible and depending largely on the skills of the students and what they wanted to do more in the future. As such the only thing that was actually fairly academic were the courses on theoretical knowledge – Pokémon anatomy, medicine, the newest technologies for treatment and such.

Beyond that there was no clear schedule or even time frame for the education. Since the project was still experimental, the same went for study schedules. This had allowed me to catch up fairly quickly, the knowledge I had acquired during my travels turning out to be enough to already push me to the top of the rankings when it came to the practical portion alone.

The medical program was a lot tougher though. I had known some basics going into this – no good Breeder would be ignorant to theory – but I quickly learned how much more was required of a Pokémon Doctor and their methods of treatment. Very few people ever got to know what kind of commitment and long years of learning stood behind the various Joys in the Pokémon Centers when they treated the Trainers' Pokémon. I definitely had a whole new appreciation for them and all the other Pokémon Doctors out there.

Yawning slightly, I stepped out of the dorm building and breathed in the fresh air. Heal Bell Academy was located in a secluded part of woodland between Goldenrod and Violet City, the kind of rich natural environment gave the perfect natural counterpart to the academic and technical environment inside.

"Good morning, Brock." I perked up at the sound of that voice and turned with a smile towards the person that had made all this possible to begin with. This charming, beautiful... simply perfect creature that had not only defined my future path but also captured my heart right in the process. Ako smiled gently and as always managed to make my heart flutter just from such a simple thing. "Ready for today?"

"Mmh," I nodded before leaning over to gently kiss her on the cheek. "Now I am." I still couldn't believe I had actually found someone who wanted me back and it all had happened so flawlessly. All these years of searching for the right one had paid out... no, actually felt kind of stupid compared to this. With Ako it was different from my normal attractions and when I was with her, I felt no need to look at other women. For the first time ever, I was REALLY in love.

"I am still worried a little about the test though," I admitted. The written test yesterday was crucial in measuring how far I had come in my studies and how long it would still take me until I could fully graduate. Not that I had a bad feeling but I suppose some anxiety was to be expected.

Ako laughed that delightful soft laugh of hers. "I don't see why. I'm sure you did fine. In a few months you managed what many of us have studied years for. Everyone here thinks so. There is no need to sell yourself short."

I rubbed my head in embarrassment. Well, perhaps I had done a lot better than what had been expected, however, if that was the case, it was mostly because I had the proper motivation and the right kind of motivator. "I owe it all to you, Ako. If you hadn't found me... No, if you hadn't helped me getting used to everything here, I doubt I could have made it this far."

In order to help me catch up with my studies, Ako had been tutoring me extensively, and I personally thought – although I guess I was a little biased – that she was making an excellent teacher. For her age she was exceptionally talented. In fact I found myself amazed again and again at her surprising breadth of knowledge. Both theoretical and practical, as such it was no great surprise that the soft-spoken and gentle girl held the best grades and top rankings in the academy.

"I didn't really do that much. Most of the credit goes to your efforts." The only thing holding her back from graduating with best marks already was perhaps her lacking confidence in herself. I think the examiners feared that she wouldn't make it out there during a dangerous situation. I would disagree because I knew that Ako had a big heart and would be able to push past that if a Pokémon needed her help. At the same time I was also kind of concerned though if at such times she wouldn't do something recklessly without thought to herself.

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**(Ako)**

Really, I thought Brock was being entirely too modest. I wished I had half his talent. When I first came here, I had barely known anything. The only thing that had driven me was my desire to help those in need. Growing up in a small, poor village I knew the harshness of life and had long decided that I wanted to do something that could help many people. This wasn't quite what I had had in mind but I had grown to like it here. Yes, perhaps it turned out to be the perfect path. For all our poverty, the few Pokémon we had in our village often had it worst. Feeding and taking care of them often was a luxury we hardly could afford. Barely anyone had had any idea about treatment methods that made use of nature and affording a Pokémon Doctor was often out of the question.

Learning had been tough. I neither had the education nor the experience when it came to what they wanted in this place and at first I had felt horribly inadequate. If it hadn't been for that day one of the Elites had passed through our village, I wouldn't even be here. But I was glad this fateful day happened. This was my calling, I had found what I always looked for. A way to help those in need.

"Ako, did you find some Cheri Berries?" Brock's call pulled me back from my reminiscent thoughts and I hurried back with an acknowledging answer. He was already treating the pair of Nidoran we had found in bad condition just outside of their nesting ground. Apparently they had been attacked by another Pokémon and not only badly wounded but also more or less fully paralyzed.

Looking for injured Pokémon out in the wilderness of the forest and treating them with only limited supplies at hand was part of the practical training. Brock really was a natural at this. His knowledge of berries, herbs and other natural medicine was quite impressive, even before he came here. What he didn't know then, he had quickly learned and applied expertly. Unlike many of us – including myself – who came here with only decent qualifications, Brock was quickly shaping up to be the ideal of what a Field Medic should be. Even most of our teachers said that they couldn't really teach him much aside from theory anymore. And that after not even quite a year!

He was dedicated as well. Just a day after a stressing test, he was already back out here even though we weren't exactly required to. There were two kinds of expeditions. Graded ones, always performed with a teacher who assessed the performance, and personal trips where the students would go out on their own or in groups to practice. Brock hardly was one to miss doing at least one trip per day to keep his skills sharp.

"Here you go." I handed him the berries I picked up. We were both quite well-versed in the environment by now and knew where which berries grew most. Nodding gratefully he put the berries into the small, portable mixer together with a stack of simple Oran berries. If there was one thing he was really good at, it was mixing berries into special juice that had an increased combination effect depending on the berries used for it. This was a bit of an advanced technique and someone who didn't know what they were doing could easily mess up and not just wasting the berries but also precious time in which their patient's health would further deteriorate.

Brock was very good at this. Faster than most students could and always with excellent results he had the necessary blend produced and filled up in small cups. Without a word, I picked up one of the cups and moved over to the female Nidoran, gently prodding her into drinking while Brock did the same with her mate. Aside from being weak already, there wasn't any resistance since my fellow student and boyfriend had done a wonderful job in getting the two Pokémon to trust him already.

For several minutes we worked in silence. With the ease of working together for the last months, there were no words needed between us as we waited for the two Nidoran to recover enough that they could continue to take care of their eggs by themselves again. Part of me knew, of course, this wasn't a guarantee that they weren't harassed by another predator and if that case happened, it would simply be a part of the natural cycle. However, most of the forest's Pokémon were rather peaceful or stuck to their territory which made working with them a lot easier for the students.

That was what worried me though. Territorial clashes like this really didn't happen often. I had been here long enough to know the region in and out. However, these past months – even before Brock had come to join us – the local Pokémon had become more and more on edge about something. There had been a lot of theories flying around what the cause of this might be. Pokémon behavior was also a large aspect of our job. Knowing at least the basics about things like hunting habits, territorial behavior and the high sensitivity to nature that Pokémon had – allowing them to anticipate changes and dangers much more accurately – were a large boon when determining causes for illness or injury, establishing safe areas for treatments and a lot of other aspects.

The weather had been stable enough, so that couldn't be the cause, especially not over such a long time. Drastic weather changes would usually cause a rather short term reaction in the local Pokémon, whereas for impending natural disasters the general edginess was simply not enough. It was more like nature was holding her breath for something... something big probably.

That this something was all too real and not just wild speculation was further cemented by the fact that our teachers seemed to put quite a bit more pressure on us, especially those students with high potential. Already a few that were more or less ready had been formally drafted into actual teams rather abruptly.

With the increasing activity from and against Team Rocket that even we – here in this otherwise rather secluded spot – had gotten word of, this shouldn't be too surprising. And neither would it be, if this had something to do with the tense behavior of the local environment. No, not surprising at all but definitely worrying.

"Thinking about it too much won't solve anything." I blinked, blushing for getting caught lost in thought again. It was a bad habit of mine that I could be absentminded... or perhaps worrying a little too much, to a point where I stopped paying attention to everything else. I saw that the Nidoran had huddled back into the hole they had made at the base of a tree to protect their eggs.

Seeing how they seemed to be alright for now, I turned my attention to Brock, trying to mask my embarrassment with a giggle. "Ah, it's nothing really. My mind was just wandering again."

He gently squeezed my hand. "You have absolutely nothing to be worried about. You'll do just fine when it matters." This time my smile was genuine and I leaned slightly against him, not saying anything further. As always, he had known right away what bothered me about the eventual ending points of my thoughts.

Technically I knew that I was more than qualified for the field already and was only stalling because I didn't have the kind of confidence Brock had if I would do well in live situations. I really didn't like violence and my battle skills were abysmal at best. Yet, with Brock coaching me a little in that area – earning better progress than the teachers had so far –, even that reason would soon be invalid. If the League continued their fast recruitment, I knew my own would come any day now. THAT had me quite a bit scared.

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"You know you are every girl's dream, right?" Punctuating the statement I took another big bite out of my sandwich. Even something as simple as this tasted absolutely wonderful. "Smart, resourceful, serious AND a great cook." Seriously my boyfriend did have a lot of talents. Perhaps he wasn't the greatest when it came to battles like his friend Ash whom he had talked about quite a bit, but I certainly would take his other attributes over such a mundane thing any time. How someone could enjoy sending out their Pokémon to intentionally hurt each other in the name of competition was just wrong to me. Not that I wanted to be judging other people's – or Pokémon's – views and feelings. It was just my opinion.

Brock grinned slightly. "Well, right now I only intend to serve one special girl. Please enjoy my services, milady." If we had not been sitting under a tree for our lunch break, he probably would have bowed... I couldn't help but laugh merrily. A helpless romantic, too. Perhaps a little excessive at times but I really couldn't fathom why he hadn't had a single serious relationship yet. Brock really was the ideal man that all... well, most girls dream of at some point.

Their loss, my gain, I suppose. I really considered myself lucky. In many ways. If the school hadn't sent me to the Sinnoh tournament for some practical training outside the relatively controlled environment of the academy, I might have never met Brock. Sure, with his skills – and I knew he and his friends had a lot of contacts under the higher-ranking members of the League – he would have eventually made it here. But would I have still been at this school by then? Or would I have taken notice or found the courage to approach him?

I really didn't believe in fate or destiny. Life had been entirely too harsh growing up to want to think there was some higher power guiding our lives if this guidance ended up with the conditions I've spent most of my childhood in. However, if there really was something like that, then perhaps you might call it fate or such that we had met this day.

"I wish we could stay like this forever." Unbidden I had to think of the future again. When we left this place, this quiet, peaceful life would be over. It was only a few months I had spent with Brock but the time seemed to be much longer. When we left this place, however, regardless of whether or not we did so at the same time, we wouldn't be able to enjoy such simple times together anymore. The idea was a single Field Medic per team or assignment, unless a larger group was required. The latter would only be special cases though. That meant, while we might be pursuing the same career, there would be little chance of doing so together. That idea just added another aspect to my unease about leaving Heal Bell.

Brock squeezed my hand and I managed to smile at him somewhat. Somehow though, he found the right words again. "Ako, our future isn't set in stone just because we are studying for a specific path. Remember, this is all about flexibility. Perhaps we will have to serve some League teams at first but that isn't the only option for us in the long run." Yes, I was truly blessed. As long as I could have him by my side, I felt like all my concerns couldn't really touch me and I would hold onto this as long as I could.

Just as I was going to lean in for a kiss, we were abruptly interrupted.

"Flar! Flareon!" A little miffed I glanced down at my Pokémon who had been playing around out of sight until now. My displeasure quickly melted though when I saw how agitated she was. Much more so than her normal energetic self which I had often enough trouble to keep up with.

"What is it, Genki, did you find something?" I asked and followed Brock as he stood up in concern. Usually our Pokémon wouldn't interrupt us like that unless something serious was up. Not giving a clear answer, Flareon instead turned around with a loud series of cries and raced into the trees. "Hey, wait up!" We were both hot on her heels in an instant.

It turned out we didn't have to go far since Flareon had just disappeared to a small clearing, sitting by a small form that I couldn't make out at first but as we came closer turned out to be a Leafeon. "Oh no!" I saw immediately that something was really wrong and Flareon was behaving oddly, almost hysterical.

Pushing the latter mystery out of my head, I immediately focused on the problem at hand. First rule for a Field Medic. Keep a cool head at all times. You had to keep focused in these situations, any distraction or hesitation could be the decisive factor between saving and losing a patient.

Brock had already fished out the emergency kit and began to take the Leafeon's vitals. Amazingly enough, despite its obvious very bad condition, it was still growling and struggling against Brock. But my boyfriend was very patient with Pokémon and gently calmed it down while checking its condition. However, I didn't need to hear the results to see that it wasn't just very bad. Those wounds were deep, numerous and if not treated within the next minutes definitely fatal. We had both studied enough to see this immediately.

Without thinking about it, I had already decided to take action. "Let me." My voice was firmer than I felt inside but all the doubt was pushed away by the plight of the small creature in front of me. Brock hesitated and seemed like he was going to say something but then handed Leafeon over. The injuries were taking their toll quickly, it wasn't even struggling anymore.

Quickly assessing the points of most severe injury, I placed my hands over them and closed my eyes, pulling up the power from within and letting it flow outwards, into my hands and then into the small body. I was never quite sure whether to hate or love this ability. It could be a curse since it made me stand out in ways I wasn't comfortable with, it gave me attention and expectations I wasn't sure I could fulfill. However, in moments like this it was all worth it. Being able to save an innocent life like this, one that in this condition we couldn't have done anything for in such a short time, that was when I knew it was a gift, not a curse.

As always, I was hardly aware of the passage of time, only realizing I was done when I became aware of Brock gently holding me and feeling the usual aftereffects of fatigue from my healing ability. In front of us, Flareon was tenderly rubbing the Leafeon's cheek. It was still weak apparently. The injuries had been deep and I only had a certain limit that I could safely heal like this. The immediate threat to its life should be over but we needed to bring it back to the academy and treat it properly soon.

"I'm alright," I said to Brock's concerned look. "We have to..."

The rest of my sentence was lost in a sudden loud noise, rupturing the natural sounds of the forest. The sound of a nearby explosion. As one we both snapped our gazes up and saw the smoke rising in the distance... right from the direction of Heal Bell Academy.

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**Pokémon HQ, Indigo Plateau (Cynthia)**

Being reigning Champion was considered to be the highest honor in this world where Pokémon played such an important role. Of course, only a handful of people knew about the true history between humans and Pokémon and how the League as it was came into being... or why. Being Grand Champion in these times was often more stressful and prone to bouts of utter frustration than it was worth.

The man on the other side of the table knew this all too well and I was glad that I wasn't alone in this and that my position, allowed him a lot more freedom to work from the shadows.

"So, no new information from Leaf?" The girl was really working hard. For someone so young she was impressively capable. League Champion in her second attempt, at which point she already possessed many of the qualities we were looking for in Master prospects. A good head on her shoulders, enabling her overall solid and calm judgment, yet at the same time maintaining a healthy passion for everything she did. I would be worried because these cases often were the result of having to grow up far too fast and would eventually either snap or collapse under the strain... So far I didn't get that impression from her. Aside from working herself a bit into a frenzy over the situation at hand, of course.

"I told her she should take it easy for awhile," Lance said, guessing my thoughts. It wasn't like either of us could blame her and really, we were grateful for all the work she was doing. As deeply involved as she was going to be in the near future, she was already making a lot of effort to prepare for the worst. Lance smiled weakly at his statement and returned his attention to the map of the Indigo region. "So, what do you think? Where are they going to make a strike?"

I pondered for a moment, going through the possibilities. While I was more familiar with Sinnoh, I had been doing this long enough to be well-versed even in this area of the world. "I don't think it will be in Johto. Everything indicates they have their main base set in Kanto and have always shown greater interest here. Aside from Heal Bell Academy, I don't see a target that would be worth the effort of getting something big set up there, especially without drawing too much attention."

Siegfried nodded. "I agree. I doubt the academy will be in danger. We have kept its location fairly secret and while that doesn't mean anything, it does mean that the public impact would be far too low." I had to agree with that. Everything pointed towards Team Rocket wanting to make a point, which meant a high profile target that would shock the public as well.

Heal Bell Academy was simply too unknown, more like completely unknown outside of the League and those attending. It would be a likely target later on but not for a flashy first strike. "Have you thought about my idea regarding those two?" I interjected for a moment, while we were still on the subject. Heal Bell had mostly been Lance's project, or at least he had been far more involved than me, but when I heard one of Ash's friends had entered, I had taken an interest. As expected he had advanced quickly – at an astonishing rate actually – and seemed to be successfully helping one of the academy's most promising students over her so far problematic lack of confidence.

Lance grinned. "I thought it was a good idea. The timing would be about right. I looked into the latest Contests rankings and with the speed and ease young Dawn has gone through them, I have no doubt they'll eventually head there." I smiled back, feeling a little bad about arranging things like that. Of course, it was for their own benefit.

"Well, getting back to potential targets," he placed three markers down on the map. "One of these I would say. Disregarding they'd be stupid enough to attack Headquarters directly, it should be either Viridian, Saffron or Vermilion. Saffron is about the biggest city in Kanto and a strike here would hurt economy a great deal. The same would go for Viridian which has been growing a lot lately. Add to that its proximity to Headquarters and as a major crossroads for Trainers, I could see it as a target, although one of less possibility. Vermilion is the major port of Kanto, the most connections to the other regions run through there. An attack on the harbor for example could impede traffic and trade quite severely. Either way, we should..."

He didn't get to finish since someone burst into the room at that time. "Excuse me for interrupting but we have dire news," the aide reported with a crisp salute. My chest tightened, for a moment a cold dread spreading inside. Could we have miscalculated? By all rights nothing should happen for another couple of months, definitely not now. Lance nodded for the man to continue. "We have received a distress signal from Heal Bell Academy in Johto. Apparently a small strike force of Team Rocket agents has begun to assault the place. They request immediate reinforcements."

I frowned and looked somewhat sardonically at Lance who had the good grace to grimace and look away. So much for his predictions. Of course, even I didn't expect this. It seemed Team Rocket had opted for a preemptive strike.

Grabbing his trademark cape, Lance got up. "I'll handle this. Assemble a team, I want it ready in five minutes."

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**Heal Bell Academy, Johto (Brock)**

The sight welcoming us as we emerged from the trees was one of chaos and destruction. Part of the east wing was in flames, several students were on the ground with obvious signs of smoke poisoning or burns. I didn't even want to think about the worse cases. The main courtyard though was where the real action was happening. My eyes narrowed taking in the black uniforms and the glaring red "R" identifying the attackers clearly and without room for doubt.

Ako next to me gasped and trembled a little in fright. Anger welled up inside me at the audacity of such an assault on a medical school. While I could comprehend the reasoning – a strike against us would severely limit the rear support for the League we were meant to supply – I could definitely not forgive such a thing. These had been some of the best months of my life and for many like Ako it had become a sort of home, a peaceful idyll which's tranquility had been so abruptly shattered.

Reigning in the anger and letting it fuel my determination, I handed Leafeon to Ako. The little one – that we had determined to be a girl – was rather agitated again, her face one of simmering rage at the sight. And since there couldn't be a connection to the state of the academy, the cause was very much obvious – as would be the cause for her injured state from before. "Stay here. See if you can help out with the injured but don't strain yourself, you just used a lot of power." I cut off Ako's protest with a quick kiss. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

And with that I turned and sprinted towards the courtyard, unclipping four Pokéballs from my belt. Despite the situation and suddenness of the attack, the students were not helpless. That was one of the advantages for being officially attached to the League. These kinds of situations were what we were drilled for to deal with when out in the field. Catastrophe rescue mission were just as likely going to be a big part of our job than anything else. Already some students and teachers had taken to bringing the fire under control, while the more battle-experienced ones were holding their own against the Rockets.

In a flash Steelix, Croagunk, Swampert and Forretress joined their efforts. I had trained hard over the last months. Even if my studies hardly left me any time, I made sure to use a good amount to further develop my battle skills and the strength of my team. "Spread out and engage!" Croagunk and Swampert immediately broke to the sides. Forretress moved in to provide defense against a largely overwhelmed group of students.

Which left Steelix ready to wreck some havoc. And that it did. With his massive body and great power, he slammed into a group of attacking Pokémon, sweeping them aside and knocking them out by sheer force – and a little bit surprise – alone, many Heavy Slams crushing smaller foes in one hit. The Rockets' tendency to use a lot of Poison types came back to bite them since most of my Pokémon were either immune or highly resistant against those. Most of the Zubats, Golbats, Arboks or other such common examples of the type fell within the first few minutes.

Eventually one of the more skilled Rockets, from the looks of him at least something akin to a squad leader had decided I was being too much trouble. His Camerupt had been doing quite a lot of damage with its powerful Eruption and Magnitude attacks covering whole areas but Steelix was ready. Spinning in place, it endured a powerful Flamethrower a lot like Jasmine's had done against Ash's Pokémon but this defense was a lot more stable and refined through months of special training.

The Camerupt was powerful but Steelix was my oldest and definitely most experienced Pokémon and we had done a lot of training to bridge the large gap towards my friends. With a move that surely baffled his opponent, he launched himself over a Magnitude... "Now, Tri-Fang!" ... and came down with a vicious biting attack that was anything but normal and the accomplishment of long, arduous training.

The Tri-Fang was a combination of Thunder, Ice and Fire Fang, all three mixed together and multiplying the original power, especially potent with the raw power behind Steelix's large fangs. Now, neither alone would have done much against Camerupt's type but together the raw force left the other Pokémon flinching back with a grimace of pain. Open for a follow-up. "Finish it, Aqua Tail!" The Rocket member was too busy being astonished to realize his own Pokémon came flying right at him and knocking him out as well. I couldn't fault his reaction since seeing a Steelix handle so many elemental attacks at once was rather uncommon... scarce was more like it. I had to thank Leaf for actually giving me a few tips on how she had done it with her Tyranitar but most of the credit had to go to Steelix for being stubbornly persistent until he got it down.

Taking a deep breath, I looked around the battle field. So far we were holding our ground but what worried me was the group of Magmars that had begun to reign more fires on the academy buildings. Knowing I couldn't let this continue, I quickly released my last two Pokémon. "Chansey, give Steelix some treatment and then see who else needs the most help."

Then I turned to my recently acquired Dugtrio and pointed at the trio of Magmars. "Think you can bring them down a little?" With an affirmative exclamation, Dugtrio dug down and barreled towards the Magmar. They didn't quite realize their peril until Dugtrio had carved a trench around them and the ground beneath their feat suddenly gave way. The hole was surprisingly deep, considering Dugtrio had only been digging for a short time. "Swampert, fill it up, then Whirlpool!" Swampert immediately flooded the hole with water and then stirred it up, not only drenching the Fire types but also making them quite dizzy.

Another quick glance around showed that the situation was relatively under control. We were holding our ground so far. But something irked me. If Team Rocket really meant to cripple us and with that deal a blow to the League – whether or not we were a target or distraction –, then something was really wrong. There were a lot of them but they weren't particularly strong or... at least not putting as much effort into pressing the assault as I believed they could. Surely by now backup was on the way and they had to know it. Pressing the attack before it arrived would be the most logical course of action, unless...

"Croagunk, come with me!" The small poison toad broke away from his opponent and appeared at my side. I was acting on instinct alone but that proved to be the right thing to do when I saw a Rocket member emerge from the roof of the archive building. The sound of the nearby helicopter had been all but drowned out by the heavy fighting and the raging fires. I did not know what he was apparently trying to steal but it had to be valuable to use an entire strike team for distraction. Cursing, I realized that I wouldn't be able to make it. Croagunk wasn't very good with long distant attacks and by the time I got up there, he would be long gone.

Then an angered cry came from behind me and a hailstorm of leaves shot overhead and cut through one rotor blade. The helicopter began to spin rapidly, its pilot desperately trying to get it under control and leaving the man on the roof stranded.

Glancing at the side I found none other than Leafeon next to me, clearly still exhausted but a righteous anger pushing her onward. We traded a look of understanding, forming a temporary truce for a mutual goal. Right now whatever distrust Leafeon had, it was insignificant compared to her fury. "Think you can give Croagunk a lift?" I asked.

Leafeon nodded once sharply and her vines shot out to push Croagunk who had already taken a jump up high into the air and onto the roof. My Pokémon didn't waste time and knocked out the Rocket member before he could find a way to defend himself.

This time I heard the sound of the helicopters as several of them approached in the distance and I sighed in relief seeing the different insignia on them. Our backup had arrived.

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**(Narrator)**

"And with this an eventful day has come to an end. What started as a peaceful, regular day in Brock's new life has ended with a glimpse of things to come. This might just be a tiny scuffle but we now have seen that Team Rocket means business. Just what is it that they have planned and what part are our heroes going to play in all this? You'll have to stayed tuned, the answers are just up ahead!"

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**Maia's Prophecy**

**Maia: I see, I see, I see in the future...**

**MysticMew: Eh, what are you doing here?**

**Maia: I see into the future.**

**MysticMew: Oh? What future?**

**Maia: The future of this story. Now be quiet, I shall give our readers a glimpse of things to come.**

**MysticMew: ...**

**Maia: I see, I see... A man in black. I see him... with Dawn? I see, a confrontation. I see two old friends being in trouble. I see a battle of heart VS power. I see...**

**MysticMew: Alright, that's enough... *grabs Maia by the collar and drags her away* Let's not give the entire episode away. *shakes head* I did not authorize this. Crazy muse is getting stupid ideas...**

**Maia: I SEEeeeeeeee...**

**MysticMew: Shut up already!**

**Maia (struggles free one last time): Next time on TFSTTM Reloaded: Grand Festival, Part 1! Will Dawn Make The Cut? Be there. Read. Enjoy!**

**MysticMew: *sighs* I won't ever give her coffee again...**

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**Author's Notes**

*sweatdrops* Err... ANYway...

I think this just proves I write pairings better than I have them already established, developing them from such an angle. The second prologue had been rather awkward to do even though I technically had much more ideas for Leaf and Misty than for Brock and Ako. Same goes for the content. This one had – aside from the basic idea of what I wanted Brock to do and that he and Ako would be together already – been mostly a blank slate. Yet, the writing flow was much better and smoother. I definitely am more satisfied with this than the other two.

Okay, before we get to a few general notes about the prologues altogether, a few words about this one. As I just said, a lot of this chapter pretty much developed while I was writing it, but I am quite satisfied with the way it worked out since I managed to slip in a few more things I hadn't quite planned for but made sense right there.

Ako's name would be another tribute to Negima. I couldn't resist and wanted to slip something in. Readers of the series will probably have recognized this. The name will stay, even if the poll ends up keeping the English names for the story since this one is wholly intended.

If some of you are wondering, I am quite liberal with plurals when it comes to Pokémon names. I usually do what sounds better/more logical (Nidoran instead of Nidorans). You'll definitely never see me use Pokémons, that sounds just awful.

Before anyone is complaining, I never intended to go into much detail about the academy. What I needed was some kind of setting and thus an institution to get Brock where I wanted him to be. Going into detail would require several chapters by itself and that was never the point. I'll be doing some reflecting and flashbacks probably to fill in some of the time between the arcs that was only vaguely hinted at here.

All in all, the prologues are over and while I don't find what I produced spectacular, I can live with the result. The main plot can begin now and I'll definitely will do better there. I'll try to keep up with this for a bit and hope to work at a similar speed as I have put out the prologues (production speed was roughly one each week) but the main parts are going to be longer and I will probably be a lot harsher on my writing when I don't get something to work as it should.

But for now I should stick with TFSTTM Reloaded, at least until I finish Arc 2. I do have one other project, a Naruto/Nanoha crossover that has been shaping up in my head and for brainstorming quite a bit, however, it is not yet in a condition I would feel comfortable to start it. Considering the high activity and far too repetitive and fanon-laced Naruto scene, I need to be sure I'll be doing things right and in a way where I don't just fall into the same patterns as so many other authors. If there is anyone here, who would like to see a crossover like this, you can give me a short vote of confidence. I really, really want to do this at some point but not before I have further ironed out the plot.

As far as the next release goes. I think I will keep with what I did with the prologue and stay at least one episode ahead with writing before posting, this gives me some chances to adjust the plot better if something comes up in the next part that I might need to prepare better.

As for the next part, I already have a good bit written and the next two to three episodes fairly planned out. I am just not sure yet how I want to divide them, that depends more on how long it is going to get. So... I will write the whole thing up to a certain point first, then divide it up and post it then in shorter intervals again. That could take a little longer, I suppose, but hopefully not more than two or three weeks – not including unforeseen events getting in between.

Do not forget to vote in the poll, if you have not done so yet. I will close it in about a week after releasing this last prologue. And of course, let's not forget feedback. We thrive on it, after all. ^_^

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	13. 0201a: Grand Festival, Part 1!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 1

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

These next two episodes have just as I've announced been written in more or less one go and are going to be posted in short order. For reading purpose I will split each one into two parts on ff . net to make it easier for everyone to read and have a stopping point in between.

From this point on the story will move more into its adventure direction. This and the first third/half of next episode will probably be the only standard Pokémon event for quite some time with the exclusion of what I have planned at the end of this arc (an answer to that next episode).

So, for now, enjoy.

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**(Narrator)**

We close in on a beautiful scenery. A long stretch of beach, beautiful sunny weather, a soft breeze was creating small waves much to the enjoyment of early beach guests. The temperature isn't quite ideal for bathing yet but here in the southern regions of Kanto, that still translates to fairly warm weather.

However, the majority of people for once isn't here to enjoy the Seafoam Islands as a tourist attraction. No, they are here for the same reason Ash and Dawn are, both of them standing in front of a large open-air arena which was just recently completed for the purpose of holding this year's Grand Festival.

Ash just turns to Dawn. "Ready for the big show?"

Our favorite blue-haired Coordinator smiles enthusiastically. "Sure, no need to worry." They both glance at each other and laugh at the ongoing joke.

"The big day has come for Dawn. After Ash has taken the first major step towards becoming a real Pokémon Master last year, it is now Dawn's turn to become a Top Coordinator. With all her training, will there be anything that can stand between her and her dream? What surprises will this Grand Festival have in store for our heroes? Even while they might still wonder about this, events unfold elsewhere that could make even victory today seem rather unimportant."

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**Lake Valor, Sinnoh (May)**

This place held so many memories. It had been here where I had met first met up with Ash again after our journey had taken different paths. Having gathered valuable experience by travelling through Johto on my own – though often crossing paths with my rivals –, I had come to the Wallace Cup with confidence and a certain giddiness of seeing him again. I hadn't been sure what would come off it but at this time, I had been sure meeting again would help me sort out my feelings. Feelings I had thought to be confusing and complicated then. I had had no idea...

"Ninetails, Flame Burst!" A concentrate ball of fire was shot high in the air where Beautifly was already performing her dance. Upon contacting the sphere burst in a fiery explosion, seemingly engulfing Beautifly entirely. However, moments later the fiery spectacle parted around the wind funnel created and maintained by my other Pokémon's psychic powers. Ninetails had quickly become one of my most effective Pokémon for Contests. She had been fairly "old" when I caught her as a Vulpix and there hadn't been anything left to teach her. In fact she had been looking for a chance to evolve for some time. So when she came to me after an intense training session, she had obviously found me worthy enough to be her Trainer. Compared to most of her species, her attack power as well as her control – as shown just now – were far above norm. Just the right thing for this stage.

Yes, a stage where, over a year ago, everything had changed so drastically. I had known Ash was travelling with another girl but really didn't think much of it. Ash was rather clueless after all when it came to romance or any remotely close subject. A trait I found both somewhat endearing and aggravating. At least I had thought that I had little to fear. While that would also be proven wrong later, the real shock came when I finally met that new girl. So focused on seeing Ash again, meeting Dawn had almost in a single moment messed up everything I really wanted to do or say.

"Beautifly, charge up Solarbeam, but hold it!" Much like in my last Contest win – however, much easier now that the combination was voluntary and trained –, Beautifly was using the heat to gather the necessary energy, holding the sphere in front of her, gathering more and more of the heat to increase its size. This had the effect of sucking in the flames in a flashy spectacle much to the awed sounds of the audience.

Yes, Dawn had really made an impression. I wasn't sure if you could call it an "on first sight" thing. I wouldn't even be sure to say what the "on first sight" was. Love? Like? Attraction? The first would probably be too strong, the second to weak and I was too confused about my reaction to really say if it was already attraction right there. I think... fascination might be a good term to describe how I felt. I had been able to hide my reaction but it had continued to confuse and downright irritate me all the way into the Wallace Cup. The more I learned of Ash's new travelling companion, the worse it got and in the process I had almost completely forgotten that I had wanted to figure out my feelings for Ash...

"Ninetails, now Will-o-wisp!" Small ghost-like flames in a deep purple joined the spectacle of Beautifly dancing in a corona of fire that threatened to consume her at any point but somehow never did while holding a steadily growing sphere of gathered solar energy.

When the Wallace Cup had finally started, that was when my fascination started to transform into attraction and more. But I would only comprehend what these feelings were much later. However, the fascination had become more tangible then already. Her performance had captivated me and I don't think I ever had enjoyed any battle on stage as much as the one I had with Dawn. It had still left me tingling long after I had been on my way back to Johto.

"Time for the finish. Beautifly, release it, Solar Flare!" On my command, Beautifly released the highly concentrated energy while performing a rapid spin. Instead of a single beam, however, several small but still very potent rays of solar energy pierced through the fire around her and hit one of the purple flames. In the end the whole thing looked like a miniature sun had been created above the stage which then burst in a last spectacle of light and fire, illuminating Beautifly performing a last dance routine. At the same time Ninetails had moved directly below her partner and caught some of the falling embers, so that one of them was carefully balanced on each of her tails.

I couldn't help but smile proudly at the thunderous applause. A little pride in myself sure but even more so in my Pokémon. This Appeal was something I am sure I would have messed up had I been less than fully committed. My real pride was for my Pokémon though. Doing this was extremely dangerous. If the timing and control was messed up even once, it would end up in catastrophe, mostly for Beautifly in the center. They had done exceptionally well.

And I was sure to show my proper gratitude. I only listened halfway to the commentary from the judges. I already knew the Appeal's execution had been perfect and clearly garnered the expected reaction. Instead I made sure to properly thank Ninetails and Beautifly for their great job.

Now that the Appeal rounds were over with, the finals would be held in a single day. It was a new system that was supposed to challenge Coordinators and their Pokémon more, giving them less chance to recover in between and as such creating a feel much closer to what Trainers had to deal with during the big League Tournaments. Because of that, two battle teams could be registered for the final rounds, making the combinations also more versatile and harder to predict.

All that hardly mattered to me. My Pokémon were all in top shape and could easily participate in several battle rounds in a row. In fact I had been much more worried about the Appeal rounds since that was where a single lapse in concentration could destroy months of training and preparation. I had seen and participated in too many Contests not to know that even the most experienced Coordinators were prone to mistakes. Some would be too confident and try something very extravagant and flashy which would backfire at them, some would mess up the timing at a single crucial moment, making the performance far less than what it should be, some would just have a bad day.

However, I was determined this time. Hoenn, Kanto, Johto. Three close attempts but always falling short. Not this time. I knew I could do it now. I HAD TO. My resolve was clear. This time I would not hesitate anymore, this time I wasn't confused anymore. I knew what I wanted. Being Top Coordinator had come to mean a lot to me. At first it had just been curiosity and fascination that drew me to Contests, I had stumbled along most of the time. But I had learnt what it meant to perform on stage. The exhilaration, the joy of bringing out the best in your Pokémon.

And I think meeting Dawn, as much confusion and distraction as that had caused, only made me much more aware of how much I wanted this. Even though she had just started, her skill and determination had humbled me and I had vowed to take her example to heart. Now all the conditions were finally right and when – not if – I had won here, at this stage where we had first met, I would be ready to tackle the even greater challenge, regardless of the result.

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**Unknown Location, Team Rocket HQ (Giovanni)**

I was in the middle of reviewing the latest progress updates and making last changes to the plan for the upcoming operation when the call came in. When I saw the ID, I was mildly surprised, not expecting a response at this time. Or ever. This team was there for only one mission and I had little hope for any even remotely small success, not to even think about more. That they would call directly over the private line only made sense in case of the latter though.

Taking the receiver, I pushed back my excitement. It would not do to get excited without knowing the situation exactly. "Report," I demanded, despite my thoughts, already going through a list of possibilities and suitable responses. I wouldn't be disappointed.

"Targets spotted. Maintaining distance and awaiting further orders." This time I couldn't help the satisfied smile. What a rare opportunity. Perhaps nothing would come off it in the end but this was too good a chance to drive a knife right into our enemies' plans to pass up because of a low probability of success.

"What is your location?" The answer only had me more satisfied. I could have a capable unit over there in under an hour. "Keep me informed of any changes. A strike team will join you shortly."

Switching over to the video phone, I had one of my most competent agents on the line just seconds later. "Agent Tulip, I have just received word from the omega unit. Mew and Mewtwo have been spotted in a tunnel system not far from your current position." Domino's eyes widened but she quickly caught herself. "Take a full squadron and hunt them down. Regardless of the outcome, this should make a good test run for our new pets."

Domino grinned but she was all business already, something I valued about her the most. "Your orders regarding the targets?"

"Capture the clone if possible... But, priority goes to eliminating the original. We cannot spare the capabilities to keep either confined at this point and taking out Mew here, could very well drive a decisive blow against our opposition before we have even begun." Of course, the Legendary Pokémon was crafty, even more so its clone. However, I would settle for having Mew injured at the least. Any setback for them meant a setback for the prophecy, which at this point was the only thing standing against our vision for the new world order.

As much as I would like to retrieve Mewtwo or have a chance of further studying Mew, the hassle was too great to ignore the most efficient action. With all resources going to the main operation, there was simply not enough to focus on them. Besides, they had already cost me more than what was worth.

"dO nOt TakE thEm liGHtttlyyyy," the disembodiment voice lingered in the air and jerked me out of my thoughts. I glared into the darkness of the room but knew it was a futile gesture. These were the times I wished I could do without the creature's advice. But in the end, IT was far too valuable a source of information and power to discard. Besides, I was prepared for what IT could do and resolved to stay firmly in control. The new order would come about through my plans and the way I wanted.

"Don't lecture me. Even delaying them would be a boon at this point. Once we deal with the kids, it doesn't matter whether Mew lives or not."

Now, I should probably do something to prevent the League from interfering again. The response to the assault on Heal Bell had been quick, far too quick for my liking and had cost more personnel and effort than I had liked. Thankfully I had put some counter strategies meant for diversion in place after that fiasco.

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**Opening Theme (Shining Days, Mai-HiME)**

A blue, cloudless sky. Mew flies into the picture and performs a few twists, turns and loopings, writing the series title into the air. The camera zooms in on Mew's face and it looks like the viewer is drawn in.

_aozora ippai ni_

_watashitachi no omoi ga chiribamerarete yuku_

Ash and Dawn are standing together on a hill, holding hands. Dawn leans closer and Ash embraces her. They lean in for a kiss.

_unmei no hito ga anata nara iinoni_

_genjitsu wa umaku yukanai_

The scene fades out from a television frame. May is sitting in front, watching with longing. Naru jumps into her lap and she smiles in determination, jumping up as the scene fades around her.

_hikaru kaze no naka_

_yume no hane maioriru yo_

Misty is swimming in a pool. She stops to float on her back, then submerges into the water. In the reflection she sees Leaf and reaches out uncertainly with conflicted feelings on her face.

_yuuki dashite mirai e_

_sou utsukushiku..._

Misty breaks the surface of the water with a leap, suddenly at a beach. Leaf is sitting on the shore and waving at her.

May is running towards a faraway image of Ash and Dawn with a smile of determination.

_ugokidasu atsui kodou ga_

Ash and Pikachu are running over a plain, jumping over hurdles and Pikachu letting loose lightning attacks.

_ano hi to onaji hayasa wo kizamu yo_

A split screen of Dawn and May. Piplup and Buneary are creating a giant ice stadium and Beautifly is dancing within a Ninetails flames (see Episode 1 for both). Dawn and May are looking towards each other as if they were in the same place.

A brief flash of Brock and Ako standing together with Flareon and Leafeon.

_massugu na manazashi ga suki_

_zutto miteitai_

Short image of Giovanni in his office with a dark disembodied form behind him.

Scene switches back to Ash, arriving at a hill. Looking up he smiles seeing Dawn, May, Brock, Ako, Leaf and Misty standing atop and waiting for him.

Camera shifts up into the sky and from where it fades out of Mew's eye again who flies down and into the prior scene, landing on top of Dawn's shoulders.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Episode 01: Grand Festival, Part 1! Will Dawn Make The Cut?

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**Seafoam Islands, Kanto (Ash)**

"And now in the final Appeal round, give another huge applause for Dawn from Twinleaf Town!"

I had to smile at the rather vocal applause. Dawn had gathered quite the following herself and I was quite certain not all of them were just fans because she was my girlfriend. Tickets for the Grand Festival were indeed quite hard to get. Not so much because they were too expensive but because the preorder contingent was usually emptied within days... if not even less. Pokémon Contests had become a big popularity over the years and had created a base of devoted fans that came to see good performance, not because of a specific person. I suppose it did help that she got more attention as a side effect of my own League victory but I liked to think she deserved it for her own accomplishments.

And they definitely liked the show. Piplup and Lopunny were a well-oiled team that had a lot of experience working together. Obviously Dawn didn't want to risk too much yet, opting to make use of their high variety of ice and water shows. Together the two Pokémon had created a huge, oval arena of ice, much like a miniature version of the Contest Hall, almost down to detail.

Loud cheering and exclamation of awe accomplished this feat and I was right along with them. I couldn't hope to match Dawn's creativity in this field, at least not the artistic and performance aspect. Here she was in her element, totally devoted to the stage. Gone were all the doubts and troubles of the last months for this single moment. Focused, concentrated and yet relaxed.

Learning some things from Sabrina had helped her more than I dared hoped. It had neither made her dreams nor our concerns go away but she was now coping with it much better. Instead of getting worked up by them, Dawn was trying to work out the meaning of her dreams. As a side effect of doing a lot of meditation, she had become a lot more centered.

My attention was pulled back to the stage when Lopunny jumped inside the miniature ice arena and began an intricate routine that looked much like ice skating without skates. I grinned at hearing Pikachu next to me cheer loudly but stayed focus on the action below. I knew this routine and this one definitely was one of Dawn's more daring. Obviously she felt like making a special impact after breezing through the first Appeal rounds with ease.

Not that I had any reason to worry. Piplup's timing when he began to spew bubbles all around Lopunny was perfect. Not hindering the nimble bunny at all, the bubbles served to accentuate her dancing on the ice. Especially since the bubbles Piplup created were sparkling in vivid, flashing rainbow colors, an interesting skill he had developed in the wake of his Limit Break.

Not quite done yet, Dawn ordered Piplup to join his partner which he did with a high jump, carrying the small Pokémon high above the ice arena where he let loose several accurate water beams, each of them hitting a bubble, making it explode in sparkling light that mixed with the curtain of water now being created around Lopunny. Thus, when Piplup finally came down to land perfectly poised on his partner's head, there was an actual small rainbow created above the pair.

Up to then the audience had actually watched on in silent, almost reverent awe only to explode into thunderous applause now. Even as I joined in, I focused more on my girlfriend. Dawn bowed and waved happily to the crowd but there was something strained in her posture that had troubled me since her first Appeal. I doubt anyone noticed, small enough and easily outmatched by her flawless performance. However, something was definitely up. And since she had those other problems more or less under control, it had to be something different. Something that had directly to do with the Festival...

Well, perhaps she was just having a bout of nervousness again. That certainly wouldn't be new, regardless of how much we both knew that she was good enough to outclass anyone here. Since it did not seem to affect her performance at all, I wasn't too worried but I would definitely see if I could cheer her up in the break after the Appeals were over.

After receiving her – as expected – high praise from the judges, Dawn disappeared backstage, almost concluding the Appeal round and with that the first day of the Grand Festival. There was just one more competitor and as he stepped through the curtain, I narrowed my eyes. Perhaps, Dawn didn't entirely outclass ALL the competition after all. The man was tall, short-cropped black hair, a billowing dark-grey cape concealing much of the rest of his appearance.

The contrast to Dawn's reception couldn't be greater. There was a definite dislike from the audience, something you really didn't get much during Contests. Even Harley, who definitely hadn't been the nicest person, had generally been well-liked for his performances at least. However, if the first rounds had been any indication, I – and as such certainly many in the crowd – were wondering what he was doing here. His Appeals so far were centered around one thing alone. Power. There was a ruthlessness in his style that reminded me of Paul in his early days, just a bit more extreme.

At the same time my trained eye could see how experienced his Pokémon were. They could actually pose a threat... or at least a serious challenge to Dawn, provided the man named Nord actually made it into the finals.

He had barely made the cut during every Appeal, his power-orientated performances just barely making enough impact to push him through. I had a feeling his true strengths would come out in battle. All over the man was rubbing me the wrong way and not just because of his style. I knew I had seen him somewhere before but couldn't quite put my finger on it. Besides, I really wondered how someone who was clearly not cut out for the performance aspect of Contests ended up here. Even more so, how he actually made it to the Grand Festival to begin with.

That alone spoke of a high level of skill that certainly made up for his obvious lack in presentation. That something like this irked the audience wasn't surprising. A Coordinator that had little skill in presentation was pretty much an affront to the very definition of a Coordinator's career.

I definitely had to look into this fellow a little more. Something really didn't sit right with me about him and it was after all my duty to support Dawn as she had done for him and looking up possible opposition was the least I could do.

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**(Dawn)**

With a sigh, I closed the door to the small dressing room. Now that the qualification rounds had thinned out the competition, everyone had gotten their own room. The arena was definitely big enough. And I was rather glad for the privacy. I didn't want anyone to see me in anything less than a confident manner.

What exactly was it that got me worked up about him? I had almost messed up the timing on the last one and that after Piplup and Lopunny had worked so hard to get it right. Thankfully they had worked so hard that it came like second nature to them. Much like Ash and his Pokémon we hardly needed commands anymore and they were more for the audience.

Still, it was getting annoying. The feeling was similar to having a persistent low-scale headache that just wouldn't go away no matter what you did. And that after going through all the work of getting myself centered for the Grand Festival. I never thought myself the type for meditation or all that other spiritual stuff. Thus I was surprised how easy it had come to me after Sabrina showed me the basics. Even the older psychic said I was a natural. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel about that.

However, I could definitely say that the few things Sabrina had shown me had helped a lot. I hadn't really come closer to unraveling the mystery of my dreams but at least could face them as something that was given to me to comprehend and not just to frighten me. There was some hidden meaning and with every small detail I unraveled – regardless how slow and for the moment devoid of a clear meaning the process was –, I was coming closer to some form of... well, as cheesy as it sounds, you could say enlightenment.

The spiritual training had also done some wonders for my concentration and inner calm. Despite all the training and knowing in my mind that I was more than ready for this, I would still catch myself in doubts during moments of reflections over the last months. I knew it was silly but couldn't quite abandon these feelings. Perhaps I had gotten over the whole "daughter of famous Top Coordinator" bit but now an actual more real pressure had been added by being the "girlfriend of the new Sinnoh League Champion". Ash was wonderful in dispersing my worries about it but since my few days spent training with Sabrina, I was able to deal with my insecurity much better on my own.

I hadn't been nervous at all. However, this headache was getting on my nerves. It wasn't really a physical pain and it was far less potent now as it had been minutes ago when I had left the stage and... Yes, that had to be it.

I looked over at the small screen displaying the last moments of Nord's Appeal. As expected it was full of overwhelming power. Even more so than the rounds before. True it suited the Mightyhena and Drapion but this clearly was not a Coordinator's style. The way his Pokémon acted were like the Pokémon of a Trainer, an extreme hardliner at that. The impressive power behind their attacks was what had mostly carried him this far. However, that wasn't the part that had suddenly caught my attention.

Sabrina had warned me this could happen. The more a Psychic came to understand and awaken their powers, the more susceptible he became too those powers opposing theirs. In other words... Dark-type Pokémon could cause a mental strain on those with psychic powers. How strong such a strain was in direct proportion to the development of the Psychic's powers and the strength of the Pokémon. Sabrina had really just brushed over the subject, apparently not worried that it could become a problem for me.

Now I wished I had asked for more details. Perhaps I should see if I could give her a call tonight. If that Nord character managed to get through, I had this sinking feeling that I would end up fighting him sooner or later and if his Pokémon affected my concentration like that, it would become a real problem.

A plan of action resolved for now, I splashed some water onto my face and made sure I looked at least presentable again before leaving the room and making it back to the communing area backstage where all the participants would be awaiting the final results and tomorrow's matchups soon. It wouldn't make a good impression either, if I weren't there.

Of course, my luck wasn't quite on my side. I really thought I had taken enough time but as I walked up the corridor, the latest competitor just came from the other side... namely Nord. He didn't have any of his Pokémon out but that didn't stop the brief pulse of... unease. I really wouldn't go as far as nervousness or concern. I knew I could keep up with most people in battle, even my training matches with Ash had gotten a lot closer. Still, even without the issue of his Pokémon affecting me, the man had something dark and sinister about him.

Calming my mind, I forced myself to show none of my feelings when we got closer. To my chagrin I noticed that we would probably meet just at the corner where the corridor led to the communing area. To my surprise though, even as I reached that point and made the turn... he just kept walking straight. Blinking, I couldn't help but halt for a moment. I wasn't sure what I had been expecting. Was there a reason why he should even address me? Did I really think he had some personal grudge against me? How silly...

Just as I wanted to continue, laughing inside at my unfounded anxiety, I heard the heavy footfalls of his boots come to a halt. "You will not stop me achieve my ambition." The words were delivered in a cold monotone, with the barest hint of resentment in them. A shiver ran down my spine and I turned to confront him... but he was already walking again and all I could do was stare after him in bewilderment. What exactly HAD I done to him anyway? My anxiety really had been self-made and was mostly rooted in his Pokémon use. I didn't even know the guy.

"Geez, what an ass."

With a yelp I spun around, heart pounding in my chest. I had been so occupied that I didn't even notice someone come up behind me. That really didn't happen much these days! And when I saw who it was, my eyes widened slightly and a mixture of feelings chased away whatever Nord had brought up for the moment.

"Kenny?"

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**Lake Valor, Sinnoh (May)**

"Alright, guys. This is it. I'm counting on you. This time we will make it." Both Blaziken and Blastoise. They were by far my two powerhouses and the opposing combination of fire and water was even more spectacular if pulled off correctly than fire and ice would be. While using Venusaur would have been the slightly safer route when it came to their ultimate combination, I was counting on the bonus effect for pulling off on stage what we had been training awhile now.

Both Pokémon nodded at me, their posture a good mix of anticipation, excitement and concentration and I recalled them into their Pokéballs. I had never felt so certain about winning as I was doing today. As expected the final rounds HAD been challenging, much as I expected from the Grand Festival with the longest standing tradition. However, our training had been thorough and my goal was clear.

For a few seconds I closed my eyes, focusing inward to remind myself of what was at stake here. Dawn was doing her own grasp for Top Coordinator right now – thankfully with a day discrepancy, so that I would be able to see the final round tomorrow – and I had no doubt she would succeed. However, while I had found my confidence through my resolve to confront them with my feelings, this was also about me and my personal ambition.

I heard my name being called and strode out onto stage confidently. My eyes were fixed forward on my opponent, a slight grin tugging on my lips. I suppose it was fitting. We were the last of our initial group that had started out all these years ago in Hoenn. To his credit, annoying as he was most of the time, Harley refrained from any underhanded or other distracting comments. He knew they wouldn't work after trying a few times earlier when we met backstage.

Up to this day, even after all those years, I couldn't quite grasp what he thought of me, how much of his personality was a front and how much was real. What I did know was that he was a very competent and talented Coordinator who had only gotten stronger over time. I could not afford to hold anything back.

"Blaziken, Blastoise, feel the heat!" In a flash of flames, my two Pokémon emerged and faced off with Harley's Cacturne and Wigglytuff. Having faced both of them quite often, I knew what to expect. Cacturne would be the main attacker whereas Wigglytuff would be for defense and close range physical attacks. It was a sound strategy Harley could pull off to perfection. However, both of my Pokémon were powerful enough not to be so easily deterred. And I was not about to give him a chance to get rolling this time.

"Sorry, darling. But this time the title is mine. You have to wait until next year," he couldn't refrain from a jab after all. "Cacturne, Pin Missile together with Bullet Seed! Wigglytuff, Light Screen!" Instead of firing directly, Cacturne's attack was directed at the Light Screen erected that functioned much like a Counter or Mirror Coat would, bouncing off the attacks and fusing them together in the process. Surely their power was also enhanced but I knew this was just the beginning.

"Blaziken, Blaze Punch." In a quick step, Blaziken had moved completely into the attacks path and smashed his right fist covered in flames forward, completely obliterating the combination and continuing to throw a concentrate fireball right into the middle of Harley's Pokémon who had to scatter quickly.

"Wigglytuff, Bounce on Blaziken. Cacturne, Sandstorm!" That was new and rather unorthodox method for a Contest presentation. Sandstorm provided a decent cover and would benefit Cacturne's natural ability but it's concealing nature made the move less suited for presentation. Obviously he had realized that a direct battle with my Pokémon would put him at a severe disadvantage.

Of course, I had no intention of letting Harley dictate the direction of the battle. "Blaziken, Sky Phoenix," I directed calmly, even as Wigglytuff seemed to vanish from sight during her Bounce. Blaziken didn't need to see though to pick his opponent out of the air with a devastating uppercut of fire. "Follow it up, Fire Blast! Blastoise, Hydro Pump!" The timing was perfect. Blaziken's attack smashed into the center of the sandstorm, barely dulled by the Light Screen effect and just a moment later Blastoise's Hydro Pump followed, resulting in an explosion of smoke and a slightly charred Cacturne limping out of the cloud just as Wigglytuff came crashing down from the earlier attack.

Harley gaped, for the first time actually worried. I wasn't planning on letting him get terrified. "Let's finish this while they are unbalanced. Blaziken, Flare Blitz. Blastoise, Hydro Pump again!" Once more the timing was excellent. Blastoise's high pressure water blast caught Blaziken's feet just as he came down and pushed him forward. With that much water, one would suspect it would be impossible to maintain a Flare Blitz... They had not yet met any of my Pokémon. Even as the water was still propelling him forward, Blaziken's aura erupted. Then the water began to leak over the fire and liquefy it into an even hotter substance.

"Wigglytuff, Protect!" Harley cried out in desperation. But it was too late. The entire sequence from Blaziken's first attack up to now had taken mere seconds and was part of a carefully and intensely trained routine. To his benefit, Wigglytuff did manage to call up a hasty Protect but even at full power, the sheer power the combination of fire and water produced, coupled with the acceleration would have broken even through a well-prepared defense.

With a cry Wigglytuff was sent spiraling again while Cacturne with all its experience ducked below the charging form of my oldest Pokémon, still getting a strong burn at least from the proximity of the heat.

Without needing a further command, Blaziken once more sent the crowd into stunned stupor when he caught his wild charge on the stage – even more miraculously without setting it on fire – and skidded to a halt just before flying right over the edge. This put Harley's Pokémon right between mine.

"Blastoise, Water Pledge. Blaziken, Fire Pledge!"

Harley visibly paled. "Oh crap..." He didn't even bother to try and order his Pokémon to evade. There was no room for evasion. Blaziken and Blastoise had taken the combination moves to perfection and from their position engulfed the entire rest of the stage with pillars of fire and water, some intervening without cancelling each other, some merging together into liquefied heat until everything came together in a giant explosion of light, illuminating the entire stage in a rainbow-colored dome.

Once the light finally died down, both Cacturne and Wigglytuff were completely out of it.

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**Seafom Islands, Kanto (Kenny)**

I had to admit, seeing her face to face again after more or less an entire year was tough. She had definitely grown up quite a bit. And I didn't just mean physically – which definitely was quite appealing – but there was also something about her very presence, the way she carried herself. Even in danger of sounding completely cheesy, Dawn was positively glowing.

And neither was I nor would I ever be the cause for it.

"Hey, Dede," I grinned and waved, stomping down on the irritate feelings. I wouldn't get into this again. After all I had no intention of making a complete fool out of myself. "Sorry for startling you. You didn't come back so I was wondering..."

Dawn chuckled, scratching her head embarrassed. "Oh right. I just needed to get my head clear and was just going to... well..." She glanced behind her, back down the corridor where this strange Nord character had disappeared. What a weird, unpleasant guy. He gave me the creeps, too. Not that I would ever admit that.

"So, shall we?" I asked in an attempt to dispel the rising tension and unease. Of course, I knew what she was thinking right now. Why she had been avoiding me the first day and why I had done the same.

The attempt failed horribly and we walked a full minute in silence before I decided I had to do something. I didn't want to do this in between all the other Coordinators but I really had to clean the air between us. "So, how are things between you and Ash?" I winced at Dawn's small flinch. Smooth, Kenny. Real smooth. This was harder than I had thought.

"We are doing great," Dawn replied eventually, then stopped and turned towards me. I resisted to take a step back at her conflicted gaze. "Look, Kenny, about..."

I held up a hand, feeling bad enough already. I should have come out and said it right away. "Save it. You made your choice. I might not have liked it but you are happy, very happy. I can see that. And deep down, that was what really counted for me. You're still my friend, Dawn, and I'm not stupid enough to risk that by being jealous and possessive." I paused, then chuckled. "Besides, I have no illusion that I could even match up to Ash right now, so I'd just end up embarrassing myself, if I did something as stupid as challenging him."

Which was true. Even if I had left somewhat disgruntled, I hadn't been able to suppress the curiosity how my "rival" would be doing. And even if I could have, the tournament had made enough waves that I doubted I would have been able to stay completely ignorant.

Dawn's face lit up in relief. "Kenny, I... thank you. That means a lot to me. You might have always been annoying, but our friendship was always important to me, too." And that smile was worth all the trouble. I believe myself mature enough to admit defeat when faced with a hopeless cause. I suppose I simply waited far too long to realize what I was truly feeling and even if I had done so sooner, I wonder if there ever could have been an "us". Perhaps we were really better off as friends.

"Just don't think I'm going to go easy on you, if we get to fight each other," I grinned as we entered the bustling communing area. Just in time it seemed as the results were just being announced. As expected I found Dawn's picture right up front – not too bad – but I had also done quite well with the ranking. HE was there, too. Once again barely making it in. Just then the matches for the first final rounds were displayed and I quickly traced the diagram to the center. "Semi-final, huh?" I glanced towards Dawn who had also been studying the screen. "Guess, I'll see you there."

With a chuckle, she raised a fist. "Heh, make sure you survive until then, okay? I want a good battle."

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**Cerulean Cave (Mew)**

"How many are there?"

Forcing my rising anxiety out of my system, I concentrated on finishing my task. No matter what happened, they could not discover this place. To think we would be spotted in a location like this at such a crucial time... No, I had to concentrate and finish sealing the gateway.

"There was just a few when I discovered them. But it seems they have called for backup. At least three dozen I would say." My companion said, eyes closed in deep concentration. "They are just entering the system but it appears they are aware of where we are."

"Oh, only three dozen. Couldn't spare anymore, could you?" I wasn't even sure if I was sarcastic or really meant it like this. Both could be the case. I suppose the number could be worse but there was no telling what kind of surprises Giovanni had waiting for us. He had been working with IT after all and that didn't bode well. I would have liked to check for myself. If there was something malevolent among them, I could probably pick it up better, even if my companion's psychic range was broader. However, all my concentration was on closing the gateway.

"Once you are done, you should escape this place. I shall create a diversion." I almost pulled back my focus which would have resulted in having to start all over again and there really wasn't time for that. Instead I settled for a disapproving look but the still form of my clone had his eyes still closed. Of course, I was sure he sensed my feelings on the matter.

"Do not argue," Mewtwo said. "I have no desire to give them the satisfaction of perishing here either. But at this time, it is you he wants out of the way. I might have been given more psychic power but your talents... no, your very existence is vital for the survival of this world."

I bit my lip and swallowed the sharp reply I had already prepared. He was right. I didn't like it one bit but he was right. The duty I had still to perform was too important to be jeopardized so easily. They had begun to gather. I could already feel their awakening drawing closer. Shadow had been active for some time already and Light, my own promised charge, had started to realize her own power. I had felt it for some time now, felt the confusion, the struggling and worry but also the recent acceptance and calm.

It would be time soon. And IT knew that as well and so would Giovanni. I had hoped to avoid them a little longer but luck was apparently not on our side. And to be spotted here of all places... Really, this wasn't my day.

"Are you about done?" Mewtwo asked calmly, his aura sparkling with gathered psychic energy, vividly dancing around him and visible even to the naked eye.

With a final push, I closed the gateway and drew away my presence but did not let the power fade just yet. "I am. Why?" Of course, I already knew the answer. My senses no longer fully focused on the task, picking out the very close presence of several life forms.

"They are here." Mewtwo stated, eyes snapping open and his hands thrust forward to send an enormous wave of psychic power forward. Screams of surprise and pain signified the attack finding at least a few targets. But it didn't seem like any of them were taken out completely. Not that I expected that. Giovanni was an evil man but he wasn't a fool. He would not send in teams for an assault without having them at least geared to stand up better to psychic attacks.

Proving my thoughts, our assailants emerged from the cloud of debris scattered in the wake of my clone's attack. I registered the fact that they were wearing black combat suits of some kind that obviously were their defensive measure against our powers. Then the sound of several released Pokéballs filled the caverns and I suddenly had much more to worry about.

Oh, sure. The variety of Dark, Ghost and some Bug types as well was somewhat worrying but nothing compared to the twelve larger than average Pokémon appearing in their midst. I had felt the twisted, evil presence from them the moment I had registered their presence. Now that they had been released from their confinement, it was even worse. I shivered in revulsion, but also a mounting anger that was burning away rational thought.

There was nothing left of the original Pokémon's personality. I doubted there would even be much of their soul left. Just a twisted, grotesque perversion of nature, reduced down to their barest instincts and reeking of ITs power. So much like what happened all this time ago. There would be no saving these poor souls.

"Mother, get a hold of your emotions," the sharp voice of my clone snapped me out of my state of blind rage. I took a deep calming breath. "You must escape now. Even I can feel these opponents are different and they are strong. If we stay and fight, we might not make it."

I scowled, torn between the rational knowledge that Mewtwo was right and the emotional desire to purge the world of these abominations and not leave my partner behind. Much like he had come to – reluctantly at first but more and more honestly – call me mother, I also saw him a lot like the child I could never truly have. The circumstances of his birth did not matter to me. I found it a blessing amidst tragedy. He should not have existed but he did and I refused to give up on a living creature, especially one created from my own genes.

However, I had to make this decision. And I had to do so now. A few more seconds and they would attack and then we would be too hard pressed to defend and stay alive to even think of escaping. The tunnel system was vast and ideal to hide and slip away.

I really did not have a choice. However, I would not go without giving my "child" a greater chance of survival. I still had some of my energy gathered from closing the gateway. With an exclamation of effort, I forced the arcane energy into a pulsing sphere of bright, potent light. *Close your eyes,* I sent telepathically, even if it was unnecessary, then hurled the sphere into the center of the opposing group of Pokémon, aiming for the first cluster of those detestable abominations.

The sphere exploded in a bright flash, the holy power tearing into the warped creatures who howled in pain as the light consumed them almost instantly. Unfortunately as I was now, I could not do this more than a few times. Turning around, I used the light as cover to speed away from the battle scene. I could sense Mewtwo also moving into a better position and most likely to lure the enemies away from me.

I forced myself to look forward and concentrate on my own escape, even as my heart ached with worry. *Be safe.*

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**Seafoam Islands, Kanto (Ash)**

"So, that's what it was." With a slight grimace I shut down my Pokégear after finding what I wanted. This could get ugly quickly but there really wasn't anything I could do about it. I had suspected something like this but only after looking up the information again, I was certain of where I remembered Nord's name and face from.

When I was given my provisional license, I had also been given access to a lot of information that you normally couldn't access, such as evaluations of past League Champions. And that's where I remembered Nord from. He had won the Hoenn League several years ago, quite impressively so. However, due to his ruthless battle style and obvious mistreatment of his Pokémon he had been denied a Master title, even if the evaluation admitted he had all the necessary skills. Just not the right mindset.

Unfortunately, I could see where this was going and that little comment – more like threat – Dawn told me about, only confirmed my concerns. People like him didn't take well being denied what they believed to have rightfully earned. He was obviously out to prove some point and chose to participate in Contests simply because the other route had denied him from moving further. Perhaps, he even chose Contests specifically because they symbolized far more the importance of balance between humans and Pokémon, the harmony needed to achieve the right presentation. By undermining the concept and still managing to walk away as Top Coordinator, he would be laughing in the face of the League's ideals...

Okay, perhaps I was spinning this a little too far but he definitely seemed to have a lot of resentment in this direction. I would not be particular worried for Dawn, knowing she had made great progress in her battling. However, now she had these issues with his Pokémon. Regardless of whether or not they had achieved a Limit Break, his Pokémon had to be highly experienced. Being distracted against such an opponent, especially one who was quite ruthless, was a bad thing. Well, she did have until the final round since Nord had been placed in the other bracket.

Making my way into the main room of the small apartment, I found Dawn out on the terrace, sitting cross-legged and staring out at the ocean. The event might not be quite as big as the League Tournament, but they really had not spared any efforts. An entire hotel had been reserved for the Coordinators, each of them getting their own apartment. Security was high and as such we could actually enjoy such luxuries for once without getting bothered by hordes of fans.

"How did your talk with Sabrina go?" I noticed how stiff her posture was, albeit clearly trying to relax and clear her mind. Not that I could blame her. A lot of things had happened today and after what I just found out she had a good right to be worried. "You are tense," I stated and stepped behind her to massage her shoulders.

Dawn moaned slightly in appreciation and I could feel some of her tension being drained away. "She suggested a few things I should try. Anything more would take too long to learn and distract me even more if I tried to do it half-assed. She recognized that Nord guy though."

Ah. So, she did know already. "He was on the list of former Champions. That's where I recognized him from." I didn't need to say more. I was sure Dawn had come to similar conclusions as I had, just as we both knew it wouldn't stop her. Not after all the hard training. It would be tough and it might actually put an element into this Grand Festival that everyone could do without. However, despite our concerns, I knew she would prevail.

Dawn let out a sigh and her head dropped slightly when the massage finally started to have a real effect. Knowing nothing would come out of talking about this more than this, I decided a topic change was in order. "I am glad you could make up with Kenny." It had certainly been a surprise. Not that he was here – of course, we had seen him in the Appeal rounds –, however, his... reaction had been unexpected. Not unpleasant but unexpected.

Dawn laughed quietly. "It's not like we had a fight or anything, but... yeah, I'm glad, too. I am not sure what I should have done if I he had been all jealous."

"Neither am I. I wouldn't have looked forward having to fight him like this. Pokémon battles shouldn't be used to settle personal issues." Kenny actually thought the same and apologized for last time, explaining that he had been wanting the fight for the wrong reasons. Since I never really had thought of it in a negative manner anyway, I had no trouble accepting his apology. Besides... "Not that I couldn't have sympathized. You are worth fighting for."

Dawn didn't say anything but I felt the last of her tension drain away. Her gaze was fixed forward on the beautiful sight of the sun setting over the ocean. The evening was quiet aside from the sound of a few Wingulls and other birds. With the draining day's activities, most Coordinators would have retired already and much like during League tournaments, there was a strict regulation to provide the competitors a peaceful rest.

"I'm glad I met you. I don't know what I would have been doing now without you, but I doubt I would be as happy as I am now." She reached up to place one of her hands over mine, then turned back her head to look up at me with a gentle gaze. "I love you, Ash. Don't ever let me go."

Ceasing my massage, I reached out with the other hand to brush some hair out of her face. "I won't. Even if you ever get enough of me, I'll fight for you tooth and nails." And I meant it exactly like that. Dawn completed me in ways I couldn't even begin to express. We had only been travelling a year together and became a couple for another one, but it felt like we had been like this forever.

Bending down, I caught her lips with mine. Soft at first, then with a little more passion, before I pulled away, smirking slightly when I saw her face flushed quite a bit. "I love you."

Wordlessly, I slid behind her on the bench, pulling her into my lap and wrapped my arms around her. There wouldn't be another word said, nor was it necessary, until the sun had set below the water.

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**(Pikachu)**

Smiling to myself, I slipped away from the two humans fully absorbed in each other. I was glad for them. They hardly had the chance lately for moments like this. Not that I would say they were stressed but training schedules, Ash's duties, Dawn's Contests, THE FANS – I shuddered –, all those didn't leave much room for personal time during travelling.

And Dawn really seemed to need it. I wasn't concerned personally. Dawn was strong. Much stronger than when we began our extreme training together those three months before the Sinnoh League. At the top of her game, she shouldn't have any problems with that guy, former League Champion or not. And her Pokémon wouldn't let her down either. Even if she was distracted, our training had prepared us far more for thinking and acting individually when most of our kind living in the wild could say about themselves.

Returning to the small bedroom, I found Piplup sitting on the bed, staring out of the window. Quietly I made my way over and hopped up next to him. I could guess without looking what was going on inside of him. "Nervous about tomorrow?" Not so long ago, I had been in the same position. I wouldn't admit that out loud but I had been rather nervous before our fight with Leaf as well. I had been worried about letting Ash down, about not being able to pull out that last bit needed to win. In the end, there had been no need to worry. Once you got out on the field – or stage as would be the case for my friend –, it was simple to lose yourself in the moment.

Piplup gave me a low chuckle. "I guess, a little. That thing is really getting to Dawn. She's trying to act tough, but I know she's getting worried again."

That was Dawn for you, I suppose. As much confidence as she had gained, there would always be a bit of insecurity, but... "I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. You know before she was more worried that it was too easy. Having an actual obstacle might just be the thing to get her concentration sharp." Of course that was if she wasn't too distracted by the whole Dark Pokémon thing. What I really meant was more along the lines of: Dawn's the kind of person that does better the greater the challenge.

And it seemed Piplup agreed, smiling thinly. "Guess you are right. Not much more we can do than try our best for her. Thanks for cheering me up." With a somewhat wry grin, he added, "Perhaps you should do the same for Lopunny later."

I grimaced at the jab. And not just for obvious reasons. I really wasn't sure just where exactly Lopunny and I were heading. Even after almost a year, I was no closer to figuring out if I wanted to start something or not and with her being so clingy, it wasn't exactly easier to figure out either. Besides...

"Maybe you should rather do that." Perhaps I should take it as a clear sign that I had felt not even a tiny bit jealous when I realized Piplup had feelings for Lopunny. In fact I felt kind of sorry for him. Lopunny was rather persistent when it came to me but apparently hadn't taken any note of his interest. Which I found to be rather funny, in a bittersweet way, because those two really worked flawlessly on stage. There was a harmony that would almost suggest to the spectator that they actually were a couple...

Piplup laughed. "Yeah right. That would go over well." I guess, I could understand that. Saying something NOW, was just bound to hamper their harmony. He definitely didn't let his unrequited feelings get him down and I knew he wouldn't say anything as long as Lopunny was still chasing after me. Or until I made it clear that I didn't want her as a mate after all. And if I was really honest with myself, I felt more and more that I would have to make that decision soon. There simply was no spark and stringing her along further, would only make it worse in the end. It really would be easier if Lopunny wasn't so persistent. I wasn't sure if she would simply take "No" for an answer.

"I still think you should tell her. After the Festival at least," I said eventually. Maybe if he did, it would at least get her to think about the alternative and see that we weren't exactly working out as much as she would like it to be.

Piplup simply snorted. "You just want her off your back." I grinned back a little sheepishly and he smirked back. Despite the weird, unwanted love triangle between us, I was glad that Piplup and I could still joke about it to some degree without the urge to get violent with each other.

I suppose I would have to do my part, too. After the Grand Festival was over, we would have to settle this one way or another. Right now, neither Piplup nor Lopunny needed a distraction that would hamper their performance.

END 02-01a, click next to continue...


	14. 0201b: Grand Festival, Part 1!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 1

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Early Morning, Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

"Ah, so pretty!" I gushed at the display. Such a wonderful presentation of water and ice attacks, both elegant and strong. Ever since Ash and Dawn had briefly come through here, I had made a habit of watching every Contest I could on TV. And after experiencing it on stage as well, I could even more appreciate the work that went into every aspect, every presentation and every battle.

Today I wasn't alone and quite glad for the company as well... or more like this particular company to begin with. "She has come a long way. The timing was perfect and every small bit in harmony," Leaf commented with a smile, relaxing back into the couch.

I caught myself watching her a little longer than necessary and quickly turned away, hoping to hide the small blush. No way to rub it in that she was getting to me, right? That would only mean more shameless flirting and teasing. _And wouldn't you like that?_ I asked myself guiltily, immediately feeling like screaming out in frustration... which wouldn't help my case.

Leaf had dropped by earlier in the day much to my surprise but also my secret delight. In fact her presence motivated me to do a little better than usual and I had sent three challengers in a row packing. That was, of course, when we had had another match. Small this time. Just one on one since most of my Pokémon were tired fighting. As expected, it still wasn't enough, even with Leaf using one of her just recently acquired Pokémon – or so she claimed. However, it had been close, much closer than last time. And that left me at least slightly satisfied.

"You really seem to like Contests," Leaf cut into my thoughts and I had to grin in response, albeit a little wistfully.

"I do wonder if I would be there today, had I known about them when I was still travelling with Ash and Brock." It had been on my mind quite often. But at the same time, I also knew that it was pointless to think about. The Gym WAS my life now, my life and my dream. Regardless of how I had gotten here, it had become the place that defined me more than everything else ever had.

"I think you'd still be here. At least I still think you would have always ended up a Trainer first." I blinked at the frank admission, wondering just how exactly the young Master had come to this conclusion. Especially since I personally had really come to think I would have become a Coordinator if I had had the opportunity back then.

"How would you know?" I voiced my bewilderment. One other thing I had learned about the other girl already was that she often seemed more mature than her age would suggest, much more perhaps than someone her age should be. It wasn't like it was a depressing thing, though, just... intriguing. She had a lot of these small pieces of advice and wisdom to offer that I would almost call "life experience". Kind of sad to think something like this about someone my age, but for Leaf it seemed to come naturally. That's why I was curious about her reply, knowing she usually had good reasons for what she said.

"Well, don't get me wrong. I don't think you'd do bad on stage. But I think a lot of that fascination might come from growing up watching your sisters' plays and I know you are not half bad at acting yourself if you want to." Well, that was true. I guess I didn't like to think about it that way but there was some truth in her words. Leaf turned around with an earnest gaze. "But the main reason why I think so... When you fight, be it challengers like today or when it was just us, you have this passion, this inner fire, a very beautiful glow that shows how happy you are..." Then she winked and I could almost predict the added comment before it was made. "It makes you look very pretty, too."

And of course, I couldn't help but blush, this time having a lot more trouble suppressing the reaction. "Um, wow... thanks," I managed. The truth was, the earnest praise made me feel incredible good and warm inside. No one had ever said something like that to me. That I looked like I was enjoying myself during a battle. With Ash it had always been clear as day. He could put his entire self into a battle and most people would easily pick up on his excitement, motivation and joy. I couldn't really recall many times where I was like that. Perhaps that was because I had still been searching for my ideal path. Even proclaiming wanting to become a Water Pokémon Master had never had the same kind of passion behind it as when Ash spoke of his dream to become a Pokémon Master or even Brock about becoming a Breeder.

I was glad Leaf left it at that. I could see she still wasn't ready to act on whatever was growing between us and perhaps wouldn't be for awhile but apparently that didn't stop her from making me feel good. Her words had given me confidence, too. Motivation to do even better. If other people could see that I was fully behind what I was doing here, then there was really no point in dwelling in might-have-been's.

We continued to watch the last Appeal and immediately agreed that we didn't like that one at all. Leaf had a bit of a troubled look as well and after awhile looked up something on her Pokégear. "I knew it. That guy is bad news. Looks like Dawn will be in for more than a challenge than they thought. And he's bound to be less considerate than I have been with Ash."

I was going to ask what she meant when her device emitted a small sound which seemed to be some kind of incoming message since she tapped another button and began to scan the screen. With every moment her face became more and more concerned, before a brief flash of anger continued into a low growl. "Trouble?" I asked, immediately realizing it might just be the kind of trouble that had some importance to me as well.

Leaf closed her eyes tightly for a moment and took a few calming breaths. Then she rose, all business. "I'm really sorry I have to cut this short. But I need to investigate this since I am already close by."

I rose as well. "Big trouble then. About... us?" Leaf hesitated, then reluctantly nodded. I grabbed my jacket, coming to a quick decision. "Where?"

"Misty..." Leaf begun but I cut her off with a sharp look. I wouldn't have an argument. She sighed in defeat. "Cerulean Cave. There was a report of a concentration of several Team Rocket attack forces... I know for a fact that Mew should be there at this time."

I grimaced at the information, concluding immediately what this could mean and now really glad I had pressed the issue. No way was I going to let her go investigate on her own. "Let's go."

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**Heal Bell Academy (Brock)**

"I feel a little guilty about missing the first day completely," I said with a weary sigh when I switched on the TV. Originally I had contemplated of taking a small trip and see Dawn's performance live but that, too, had been disrupted by the Team Rocket attack.

"You called them before, right? I'm sure they'll understand," Ako replied smiling where she was sitting with Leafeon on her lap, gently stroking her. The poor thing was still rather distrustful of humans but she had warmed up to us somewhat and actually agreed to stay with me for now.

When I learned that she had been one of the Team Rocket member's Pokémon, forced and mistreated when she didn't live up to their expectations before being abandoned in a state in which she was clearly meant to die, slowly and painfully, I had become very angry. It was a good thing all those that hadn't escaped the moment League reinforcements arrived had already been transported elsewhere for questioning and imprisonment. I was not sure what I would have done otherwise. I think even Ako was ready to do bodily harm at this point.

At least, that had been about the worst thing out of the whole experience. Sure the academy had taken quite some damage and would hamper the regular schedule for at least a couple of weeks. However, the overall quick response in holding off Team Rocket had prevented far worse and Lance had not been shy on praising all of us for our good work. I admit that had felt good, definitely satisfying. Especially when I had gotten extra praise for my part in defense and stopping the theft. Of course, I had been curious just what exactly they had been after but had not been quite prepared for the end result of that conversation.

**Flashback**

"I'm sorry but that information is classified. All I can say is that we had some important documents stored here for safekeeping. No one but a few high profile members were aware of that, so I am already quite worried about a possible leak." Lance looked sour at the explanation and I could understand why. I saw the logic of using a lesser known location like this to hide something important but if it was so secretive, Team Rocket shouldn't have known.

"I understand, I guess. Right now I'm just glad there was nothing more serious than some injured people and Pokémon." I laughed slightly, but not with any real humor. "And that is something we are good in dealing with after all." As harsh as that might sound, perhaps this attack might have been better as a preparation for everyone here in what to expect once their studies were done than any test or scripted exercise could have been. Some people here had hardly ever been outside the academy and even then only in controlled situations and environments. Everyone had gotten a dose of reality.

Lance checked something on his data screen, then looked back up with a serious look, putting away the small device. "You have done admirably, both of you." He directed a look at Ako who gave a small sound of surprise at being addressed. I had to agree though. I might have done a lot of fighting, but Ako had worked tirelessly on the injured, even in her already weakened state. I dared to say a lot of injuries that could have become worse with time had been prevented by her efforts. "Both of you have clearly proven that you are ready for actual work."

I started slightly at that, not expecting that answer at all. After all I had barely been here a couple of months. Ako I could understand but on the other hand I was slightly concerned about letting her out of my sight yet. She had gotten a whole lot better but she meant a lot to me and while I had every confidence in her ability, I couldn't help but worry.

Lance seemed to pick up on my thoughts. "I know you've only been here for awhile, Brock. But unlike most of the students, you have been out travelling and facing dangerous situations on a regular basis. Quite a few situations that most regular Pokémon Trainers would hardly ever get into." He winked and I had to grin slightly, clearly understanding how he was referring to Ash's tendency to get into trouble, even world-saving trouble that included Legendary Pokémon. "I saw your records and even your teachers agree that aside from some theory they cannot teach you much more."

At this point he paused briefly and looked at Ako again. "As for Miss Ako here. You have been here amongst the longest of the current batch, almost from the beginning of this project. We would have drafted you sooner already but were aware of your own... hesitation."

My girlfriend blushed in embarrassment, looking at what she probably thought to be a jab at her self-confidence problems. I reached out and squeezed her hand gently, knowing that Lance wasn't the type to deliberately trample on people's feelings. "So, in light of all that. I would have an assignment for the both of you. Something I believe you would both actually enjoy. And, of course, seeing how well you are working with each other already, we would be sending you out together."

**End Flashback**

That had certainly been a surprise. A good one at that. It solved a lot of our problems and worries. And the nature of the assignment definitely came with a few benefits. I couldn't help but wonder if in light of everything that had happened, this was a deliberate move on part of the League. But if it was, I wouldn't complain.

"Wow, pretty. Your friend is really good." I focused back on the screen. They were just showing highlights from the Appeal rounds, including Dawn's. I smiled proudly at the show Piplup and Lopunny were making. It seemed like Dawn was in top form. Good, it wouldn't do if she somehow lost. That would mess up the benefits of our assignment after all.

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**Seafoam Islands, Kanto (Dawn)**

For the first time I really started to comprehend how Ash had felt during his own fights at the Sinnoh League tournament. I had to admit to a certain... nervousness after all. When I woke up this morning, a lot of things went through my mind. Anticipation for the day's events, worry about the unexpected challenge in a way one couldn't have so easily predicted, exhilaration at having my dream so close, just one more day, one step ahead... But above all, the latter also invoked a good bit of nervousness I had thought to be long over.

Yet... I wasn't Ash. I didn't have three League challenges and various other accomplishments under my belt. Despite all my training, I couldn't help but wonder if I was truly ready for this big step. The last months had at times felt a little like watching a movie of someone other than myself. It felt... unreal at times. If I was honest with myself, I barely knew anything about the real thing when I set out on my journey to become a Top Coordinator just like my mother. I knew in theory, but quickly learned that reality was so much more complicated and difficult. The road to the top was hard and long.

And because of that – when I took the time to reflect in these months – I knew that I had progressed far beyond a natural rate. That should be a good thing, I suppose. However, I also experienced it as a kind of new burden, a far different kind of expectation, not just expectations I had for myself but ones I believed others would have in me.

The worst of that nervousness had lasted as long as Ash had given me a good morning kiss and wished me luck in his own, unique way that always managed to drive all my concerns away. Not completely, but always enough that I could reassert the control and calm I had come to learn in the last months and even more so with Sabrina's training. The rest of the nervousness had disappeared the moment I was back on stage.

Once the first battle round started, everything else became irrelevant. That sense of everything else fading away around me, leaving only myself, my Pokémon, my opponent and her Pokémon. That was something I had experienced often during training matches with Ash but only out here, in a real battle, was the experience at its strongest. And now, this was the last day of the Grand Festival and that made it that much more potent.

I suppose the bond with my Pokémon helped a lot right now. In more than one way I was glad for deciding to start out with Espeon and Togekiss. I was by far not anywhere close to the level of my short term mentor but Ash and I always had a great empathy with our Pokémon which closed the gap in skill with my psychic powers – it was still rather unreal to think – quite nicely and made our synchronization perfect to a point where I really didn't need to give commands anymore. Sure, Togekiss was technically not Psychic but close enough in nature to link with Espeon and me with almost no trouble. And we had been training this combination for awhile now, so everything came very naturally.

The other positive aspect was that, connected as we were, I was far more shielded from Nord's influence than I would have managed on my own. I swear he seemed to know how he was affecting me... but perhaps that was just my imagination. Regardless of the answer to that, he had made a point of leaving at least one of his Pokémon outside at all times since the beginning of the final rounds.

Sabrina had given me a few tips on how to filter out the background sensation that would mostly manifest in a dull, distracting headache and I could manage by concentrating. However, it was an entirely different thing when I needed that concentration during the battles and would be even more so when I actually faced him and his Pokémon in battle. I wouldn't be able to use Espeon and Togekiss either. That matchup would not only be an ineffective type matchup but might affect those two, at least Espeon, just as much.

The warm presence of Ash's confidence and reassurance in the back of my mind helped me to shove those thoughts aside. There WAS no point in worrying about it now. I would simply have to face that challenge when it came. There was no way of knowing exactly how strong this Nord would actually turn out to be, how much his choice of Pokémon would affect me. What I did know was that I could trust my own Pokémon and my own ability.

*Let's wrap this up. I think that was enough of a warm-up.* It wasn't quite a real telepathic communication but a good bit more precise than a normal empathic connection would allow. Personally I think my Pokémon understood my thoughts much clearer than I could pick up theirs but that was good enough for now.

I suppose that thought would have come over as just a tiny bit arrogant had I voiced it out loud. However, it was much harder to hide the simple truth that my opponent hadn't been able to land a single hit so far in my mind than it would be to voice it out loud. If anything, this first round really was more a warm-up for later. I did expect Kenny to make the semi-final at least and with the regulations set up in such a way that each of my duos had to be used twice during the four possible final rounds, Espeon and Togekiss would participate in the semi-final again.

*Togekiss, Aura Sphere. Espeon, Psychic.* It was a well-practiced routine and one that proved too much to handle for my opponent. Without any indication a verbal command would have given, there was no way to prepare when my Pokémon could execute their attacks with barely any preparation time. Sunflora fell first as the speed of Togekiss' Aura Sphere allowed it no chance to evade. Poliwhirl had more time to prepare and at its Trainer's command jumped over the attack, only for Espeon's Psychic to kick in. Suddenly the Aura Sphere carved upwards at an unnatural angle and impacted with Poliwhirl. At the same time Espeon applied enough mental pressure to cause the sphere to erupt in sparkles of light, the burst enough to propel the poor Water Pokémon even higher before crashing back down to the ground.

There was a moment when everyone waited if the two downed competitors would get up again but then the signal sound for knocked-out Pokémon could be heard, effectively ending the first round.

_Just three more_, I thought, keeping my thoughts firmly on my goal, even as I picked up my Pokémon to congratulate them. _I will not lose._

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**(Ash)**

Media. There was one thing I couldn't get used to, even after months of their haunting, persisting presence. Perhaps I had gotten a little lax since we arrived here but now I had to realize that just because the participants were mostly protected from getting harassed, everyone else was fair game. And, of course, the current Sinnoh League Champion would be ideal to pursue. If not for the obvious, then – or perhaps especially – because his girlfriend was participating.

"How do you see the chances of your girlfriend winning the Grand Festival this year, Master Ketchum? The odds were quite high for her but now it seemed a serious competitor has appeared." See, exactly that sort of question. I could have almost predicted that word for word and as such focused more on the actual choice of words with a light frown. I was getting annoyed enough of being held up as it was.

"First of all, I am not a Master yet," – at least not officially but the media didn't need to know that –, "my girlfriend has a name and I would appreciate if she were to be measured not because of our relationship, but for her own achievements. Aside from that, I have full confidence in Dawn's abilities and will to win."

The young reporter didn't seem to be fazed by my disapproval of her word choices, not that I expected her to. I suppose it came as part of the job to not allow yourself to be put off by a disgruntled interview partner. I had dealt with all sorts of reporters and mainly placed them in two categories. The ones who seemed to actually care about the content and details, who would ask intelligent question about battles etc., and those that were just out to get a statement from a famous person and really didn't much care for their answers... unless they could provoke something that sounded scandalous and could be made into a story. The blonde woman definitely struck me more as the latter sort, thus my continuingly declining mood.

The next question further proved my assessment. "Nord seemed to have no problem with his matches so far. The audience certainly doesn't seem to like him though. How do you see such a reaction to a fellow former League Champion?" Of course they would know already, that didn't surprise me. I certainly had my own feelings about Nord. Both his first round and early quarter final match just now had been a lot as I had expected them from reading his file yesterday. I didn't think you could call it a Contest battle. Personally, the absolute ruthless way in which he had sought to overwhelm his opponents with raw power alone was questionable even for League standards. No wonder he had been denied a Master rank and after a few matches stopped competing in the Master League as well.

Not that I would say all this out loud. I wasn't here to start a feud. "If the audience does not like him, then I suppose he has earned such a reaction," I replied carefully. But I couldn't quite help but add, "Nord is responsible for his own methods and image. All I know is that they will not be enough to defeat Dawn." And that I could say in full confidence. I had to and I truly believed that. Dawn had supported me greatly during the Sinnoh League, it was now upon me to return the favor.

The reporter wasn't quite through, however, even if I would wish she had been. "You seem to be quite confident about your girlfriend's victory." I scowled again at the obvious disregard about my earlier correction. "Would a loss here affect your relationship? After all, you have been sacrificing a lot of your time for her participation here and it wouldn't look good if the Sinnoh League Champion's girlfriend were to fail to become a Top..."

At this point I cut her off with an angry growl I couldn't quite hold back, nor did I want to. "First of all, I have not been sacrificing anything. We are a team, both personally and in business. The outcome of the Grand Festival has absolutely nothing to do with our relationship. Now, unless you have some actual relevant questions, Dawn's match will be starting soon." I didn't even wait if she had, though, but angrily turned and walked away.

The nerve of that woman! Did I look like or ever do anything to suggest that I cared about image and reputation? I knew that those like her were actually more a minority, focused on getting a sensational story. The majority of the media had actually begun to slowly move away from the association of "my girlfriend" and towards Dawn's own accomplishments. The high odds put on her before the Grand Festival were as much a combination of her impressive Contest victories here as they had been on the general praise and approval of the trade press.

Pushing the aggravating encounter out of my mind – knowing it would only serve the interest of these kinds of reporters, if I allowed them to get to me –, I made my way back to my seat, hopefully still in time to see Dawn's quarter final match. However, just before the doors leading to the inside of the arena, another unexpected and right now really unwanted encounter was waiting for me.

At first, I thought he wasn't going to say anything, leisurely leaning against the wall, arms crossed, seemingly not acknowledging me. But when my hand was already on the door, Nord spoke after all. "Must be nice to be so popular."

I turned my head slightly to face him, noticing the scowl now in place, clearly directed at me. A bit more than a year ago, I might have allowed my emotions to get the better of me. But winning the Sinnoh League, becoming a provisional Master and perhaps most important out of all falling in love with Dawn had had a strong calming influence.

Besides, those reporters were still lingering around and it wouldn't do to get riled up here. Of course, I couldn't help the mild annoyance when I waited for him to continue. I had enough of pointless interruptions. "If you have something to say, then say it."

Nord kept his scowl, gaze unflinching and full of resentment. "Your little girly won't make it. I will destroy her and once I do, I will come for you and show the League that it was a mistake to deny me."

Had I not expected this kind of attitude, I might have really lost my temper at this point. But as such, I was prepared and to his obvious annoyance, merely smiled confidently. "If you feel you have to prove something, I would have been open for a challenge anytime, you wouldn't have to go and spoil the fun here. But I suppose if you want it this way, you'll never make it to me..." I pushed the doors open, the cheering of the crowd thundering against my ears. Dawn had just entered the stage. "Dawn is a true Coordinator and an excellent Trainer. There is no way she would lose to someone with your motivation."

With that, I walked back into the arena and let the doors close behind me, feeling enormously more satisfied when just a minute ago.

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**(Piplup)**

I couldn't help but chance a worried look back at Dawn. She was holding up outwardly. I doubt anyone would spot that something was off. At least not yet. As long as she could afford to take some of the concentration away from the battle, she seemed to be fine enough.

It really wasn't fair that something like this would happen now. I doubted Dawn was upset about the prospect of a serious challenge. In that regard she was a lot like Ash and would rather earn her title than just breeze through every opponent. However, the way this came to be was not exactly pleasant and obviously this Nord guy was up to no good. His match style was downright ruthless, making a mockery of everything Contests stood for. He wouldn't win a single match through points, I was sure. The problem was that he was good enough to finish them far before the five minutes were up. Okay... more like, he finished both in under two minutes!

Sure, we could do the same but Dawn was too much Coordinator at the core to even consider such an approach and neither of us would agree with it either.

With practiced ease I followed Dawn's short commands and started off by laying a spray of bubbles to keep our opponents from advancing while Lopunny already went into a Bounce. Flawlessly switching from bubbles to a steady stream, I made a short jump and angled downward diagonally, which caused the water to push back up from the ground and give Lopunny an extra push that carried her over Volbeat's Shockwave and allowed her to come down on Ilumise with even more force. However, Ilumise proved to have good reflexes and barely slipped away from the attack, then strafed Lopunny with a Bug Buzz from close range, causing me to wince in sympathy.

I had no time to worry about my partner though. "Volbeat, Confuse Ray on that Piplup." Due to Volbeat's special ability the execution of the move was a lot faster than normal and I had to flip away quickly. Dimly I registered Dawn's command but it was hardly necessary. Our opponents obviously wanted to keep us separated. Too bad, it wouldn't be that easy. Coming out of the flip, I pushed off the ground and faster than our opponents could react had shot forward in a spinning Drill Peck towards Ilumise. To their credit, Volbeat and Ilumise's Coordinator was quick to react and those two had a good harmony. Volbeat was in front of his female counterpart and performing a Protect before I could strike – which considering the speed I was going was a feat not many could perform these days against me. However, the Protect was hasty and not perfect, pushing him back and right into the Dizzy Punch from Lopunny who had appeared at Volbeat's back.

By this point it was rather clear that those two were mates – anything else would have been surprising anyway – and as much as that benefited their performance, it also allowed the opening to bring a quick end to this match right there. Ilumise, clearly upset over the hard hit on her mate sending him crashing to the stage ground, was distracted for a moment.

I noticed with a bit of worry the lag in command from Dawn and had already formed the Whirpool for Lopunny to land on before the order came. Our synchronization was strong enough that we already knew what to do, however. With a yell of exertion, I threw the Whirlpool attack – with Lopunny still on top in Ilumise's direction. She had enough sense to get out of the way but flew right into Lopunny's Fire Punch. Even as Ilumise spiraled to the ground – probably already out of it – the Whirlpool angled back. I saw Volbeat struggling to get up again and spun in the air just as my earlier attack passed by to give it another boost with a high-pressured water stream, causing the Whirlpool to crash into Volbeat just as Ilumise hit the ground.

With the match decided, I immediately shifted my attention on my Trainer. It was certainly disconcerting to experience anything less than perfect timing from Dawn. Right now, it had not made any difference since we had trained enough on individual performance to be prepared for such moments. However, the connection between us did make a vast difference when it came to the professional level Ash and her were training at these days.

Lopunny was not far behind in expressing her own concerns but Dawn just smiled reassuringly. "I am fine. I do not intend to let this keep me down. You guys were great and together we WILL win today," she said quietly, obviously not wanting to draw too much attention to the fact that something was up.

I exchanged a look with Lopunny. There actually was no doubt I could perceive in Dawn. Her will and belief were still strong and while that reassured me, I also knew that it might not be enough. A lot would also depend on us. We would need to fill the gap in the final round. Personally I was actually experiencing a guilty thrill at the added pressure. Over the last months I had always felt that compared to what Ash and Pikachu had, I couldn't quite offer the same to Dawn. In fact this was on my mind much more than my budging feelings for my partner. This Great Festival was important to Dawn. And much like Pikachu had for Ash, I also felt that I had to make a great effort for her sake. We hadn't been together as long as those two and I guess the bond between us was not as smooth and perfect as it was for them. Right now, however, Dawn needed me to be strong, needed me to make an effort. And I would, regardless of how much it would take.

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**(Dawn)**

"Ready to lose, DeDe?"

"You wish. Think you can take me?"

He smiled and I did the same, immensely grateful for this moment. This really was just the right kind of match to get me focused and in the mood just before the final. Fighting someone you knew always added something very special to a battle. Ash described it as the Trainers connecting with each other. I kind of liked it but perhaps on stage the analogy of performing a dance together, a careful choreography after a melody only the two of us knew was more fitting.

True, Kenny had never been the kind of rival I had found in Zoey or the fantastic battle I had with May back at the Wallace Cup which I was really wishing to repeat again at some point soon. However, we had known each other since we were kids. He was kind of what Gary was to Ash when they were younger. The annoying kid next doors – not literally – that just wouldn't leave me alone and always got on my nerves... But I know he cared, much more so than I had ever imagined. Kenny had a good heart even if he sometimes got a little too worked up about things.

That's why this fight was special, that's why I knew I could lose myself in it for the next few minutes and – that was my hope – take the positive feelings and adrenaline rush with me to the next round.

The timer chimed, signaling the start of the match and Kenny wasted no time to open it up. "Alakazam, Shockwave!" I started at the bolt tactic, especially with Empoleon standing right besides Alakazam. As such I suspected a small, concentrated version but my senses warned me of the danger just in time. Had I not been training with Sabrina to sharpen this ability, I might have been caught off guard by the fast execution of a wide area Shockwave that covered pretty much the entire stage in a moment.

With the warning I had just enough time to have my Pokémon brace against the attack. In quick succession Togekiss and Espeon combined Safeguard and Light Screen to take the brunt of the attack. On the other side, Empoleon had used his wings by adding some minor Steel manipulation to channel the electricity and not get hurt by it. I could feel the power in the move, adding further to my surprise but also making me realize one thing. Kenny had really trained hard in the last year. *Espeon, Togekiss, Future Sight.* I took the chance to set up something for later. Espeon was a master of the move and could actually control when it would hit down to a couple of seconds. Togekiss wasn't quite that good but when they did the move together, they could be more easily synchronized. And with the effect of Light Screen and Safeguard partially hiding the activation, Kenny wouldn't know what to expect.

He didn't leave me much more time to recover though. Empoleon suddenly came charging forward with a powerful and fast jump. Immediately I saw that he still had some residual electricity charged into his wings. *Togekiss, Extrasensory.* I grinned at Kenny's cry of surprise and perplexed expression. Combining my growing mental bond with moves that couldn't be easily detected, was something I was really growing to like. Extrasensory was practically invisible and if no verbal command was given it would take another Psychic to react properly.

Speaking of other psychics. Where was Alakazam? I had been momentarily focused on Empoleon's attack and in that time his partner seemed to have disappeared. The execution was perfect and before my brief training with Sabrina would have taken me completely by surprise. However, even then Espeon probably would have been able to react in time. With her sensitive fur and strong mental perception, she was already twisting away from Alakazam who had teleported right next to her, flinging a Shadow Ball down with full force from almost point blank range. *Synchronoise. Togekiss, Air Cutter!* Alakazam flinched back from the psychic attack targeting his senses and was thus unable to evade Togekiss' attack.

"Empoleon, Flash Cannon on Togekiss!" Kenny was quick to recover but I was prepared for that as well. It was one of the enormous benefits of a psychic link, even one still forming properly. Without even seeing the attack coming in from her back, Togekiss gracefully floated upwards to avoid the powerful charge. With all three of us linked as we were, we could share the others' vision to some degree as well.

*Thunder Wave.* Kenny swore and barely had Empoleon evade the counter which was no small feat, still being in the air and all that. Alakazam wasn't that lucky. Why, because Espeon had jumped right into the Thunder Wave and deliberately used her Magic Bounce to reflect it onto the other Psychic who was still dazed from the earlier assault.

"You know. This is really annoying," Kenny commented and I just grinned back. "Empoleon, Hydro Cannon. Alakazam, Psychic." Togekiss slid by the Hydro Cannon but that was when Psychic kicked in, catching the attack and sending it like a homing missile after my Pokémon.

_Using my own tactic against me, huh?_ Expecting such a move, I had Togekiss fly several evasive maneuvers. Other than Lopunny she really was my most evasive Pokémon. Whereas Lopunny relied more on a strong reaction time, Togekiss had a special grace in the air that allowed her to seemingly float effortless around most attacks. "Trying to outdo me with Psychic attacks isn't going to work, Kenny," I said.

On an unspoken command, I already had Espeon move to meet Togekiss on her next pass, forming a sphere of psychic energy above her while Togekiss was preparing another Safeguard in midflight. I really liked that move, actually not so much for its intended purpose but because you could do a lot more with it than just that. It could serve as a minor barrier of sorts, especially against energy attacks, or like now serve like a containment zone.

With barely any time left between coming to a stop right over Espeon and her psychic sphere, Togekiss wrapped the Safeguard around it, floating slightly above. The increased potency served to suck in the Hydro Cannon/Psychic combination without effort, only further strengthening the power. It was also quite flashy which was a definite plus.

"Alakazam, Teleport to Empoleon, then Light Screen!" Kenny had realized the peril his first Pokémon was in. Still recovering from Flash Cannon, he would be defenseless. Unfortunately for him, there was one thing he couldn't predict. And that was Alakazam getting hit by two Future Sight attacks out of nowhere. Fully committed to the Teleport, even if he had sensed them coming ahead of time, there would have been little he could have done. Alakazam was sent sprawling with a grunt of pain.

"Finish it," I decided to wrap this up aloud. Kenny had fought really well and he deserved to at least hear what would do him in. "Aura Cannon." Togekiss moved behind the psychic sphere and then drove an Aura Sphere point blank against it, the attack serving both to smash the greater sphere forward as well as getting absorbed into it.

Empoleon by now had barely recovered but couldn't hope to get away anymore, crossing his wings in a desperate attempt to block. It wouldn't be enough...

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**Sometime earlier, entrance to Cerulean Cave, Kanto (Leaf)**

I still had mixed feelings about taking Misty on this mission. My gut was telling me something very bad was going on in there, a terrible wrong waiting for us. Considering the only reason why they could be here with such a force, this time it was bound to be not as easy as taking out the minor hideouts. There would at least be one if not more high-ranking executives.

And Team Rocket's Elite members had been conspicuously absent for quite some time, obviously busy with some kind of preparation. Since information of what they were up to was hard to impossible to get, the kind and nature of the opposition we were most likely to face was unknown. But at least with a high potential of being something that would give them a serious edge.

I glanced down at the screen of my Pokégear and exhaled a quiet breath. No good. It would take too long for a League team to get here, especially one with at least another Master present. Everyone was spread out over the region at various points and tied up in their own preparations for possible strikes from Team Rocket. The report about their appearance here had come from a minor observation post, stationed just outside of the city. Apparently they had seen them coming. Right now, only two Team Rocket members were guarding the front entrance leading into the cave from the city side.

No, there was no more time. We had already wasted enough on stocking up on equipment, such as enough Potions and other useful items, and I had to brief Misty on how to behave in this mission. We were up against potential superior numbers, with a high potentially of greater capacity than the average grunt, with an unknown firepower at their disposal. Frankly, even I wouldn't have charged in there alone without knowing exactly what to expect.

Scouting had taken its time and was in the end rather fruitless. Since we had no real way to confirm how many were in the cave or where exactly they were, the only thing that gave us some reassurance that we weren't entirely too late yet was that Zoroark had picked up the high-level presence of other Legendaries, still strong and obviously fighting. One of them at least, the other seemed to be moving rapidly.

"Ready?" I checked one last time, tensing in preparation to jump out from the cover of the rock formation that allowed us a good view of the entrance. Regardless about my misgivings, I knew it was pointless to stop the redhead. I needed her, too, as much as it galled me to admit that. Two wasn't quite terrific odds here either but better than just one. Besides, Misty was a Gym Leader, recent and still young, but with already great skill for her age. She had been good when I first tested her and had taken my advice to heart easily. Our earlier battle had showed vast improvement, considering we both hadn't exactly used our most experienced Pokémon. I suppose the main cause for my worries was quite personal and selfish...

"Let's go." I noted that Misty was grabbing one of her Pokéballs tightly, obviously quite nervous despite her brave front earlier. That actually relieved me somewhat. Some nervousness in a situation like this was expected and probably helpful to sharpen your awareness, as long as you wouldn't let it get the better of you. And I knew Misty had been in quite a few dangerous situations with Ash herself, so this wasn't exactly new territory.

Giving her a short nod, we both jumped out of hiding. Misty immediately threw her Pokéball between the two guards and Starmie popped out, spinning and releasing a Thunderbolt that had both men drop instantly.

I blinked astonished. "That... went better than I thought." Sure, that had been the plan but I had not expected it to work so flawlessly. Misty's timing and Starmie's immediate reaction had been perfect, giving the Rocket members no time to react to the sudden attack. Of course, had they really been fully prepared for a strike at any time, they should have done better. Obviously they were here to make sure their target didn't escape the cave and even that was fairly unlikely seeing as the front entrance would be the most likely escape route and as such not actively pursued by someone trying to escape.

Misty flashed me a slight grin but didn't say anything. We both knew this was just the beginning and the easiest part yet. From now there would be no planning for what to expect once we went inside. There was no telling the kind of opposition to be expected and with Mew apparently trying to escape, it would be a question of who found the Legendary first while Team Rocket and us would potentially run into each other several times along the way.

"Stay close to me once we are inside. We should try avoiding as much contact as possible. First priority is to ensure the safety of the target." Of course, we had one clear advantage. Zoroark would be able to sense the Legendaries. Perhaps not as good as another psychic would but despite being of an opposite nature, my mysterious companion had strong mental capabilities to rely on. Zoroark was not quite considered a Legendary but close enough in nature to pick up the presence of another. With that edge, we might be able to pull this off.

Just as I pulled out the black and white-colored Pokéball, things suddenly started to go really wrong. The attack came so sudden, none of us even realized it was there before the powerful Electric attack – it looked like a Zap Cannon – crashed into Starmie from behind and slammed the poor thing into the formation of rocks we had been hiding behind with a terrible slapping sound and outcry of agony.

Misty gasped in shock and rushed over while I held my ground, squinting into the darkness of the cave, trying to make out the forms approaching from inside. A distinctive female voice came out of the entrance. "My, League people here already? That's a surprise. But then again, it's just two kids trying to play heroes." First a fairly large, taller than normal, Electivire emerged into the early morning light, then the speaker appeared beside it. A young, blonde woman in a black standard Team Rocket shirt with white shorts and knee-high socks. She was wearing a white and red hat, blue eyes regarding us haughtily but with an unmistakable edge of seriousness. She knew who I was and it only took me a moment to recognize one of Giovanni's most trusted executives as well.

Apparently I wasn't the only. Misty hissed behind me, having applied a quick Hyper Potion to Starmie to take care of the worst of the damage, though it seemed like the attack had wrought more damage than I had expected against a Pokémon trained rigidly in elemental resistance AND manipulation of its weak point. "You!" There was definitely recognition in green eyes when she glared at the blonde woman, but I didn't have time to think about that.

"Agent 009. If you are here, that means my hunch was quite correct." I put away Zoroark's Pokéball again – no need to reveal my trump card yet – and released Berserker. "Of course, since you are still here, that also means you haven't found what you were looking for."

Domino laughed. "Good deduction. Too bad you won't be able to do anything about it since you won't get past here."

I narrowed my eyes, knowing that the woman would not make it easy for me. At the least she'd pin us down here for quite some time, perhaps enough for her men to fulfill their objective here. With a grimace, I realized I only had one option and I really, really did not like it.

I did not look back to see if Misty saw and understood the signal I was giving her. It had been an emergency measure we had planned for ahead but that I honestly had hoped not to use. "Berserker, Sandstorm!"

Misty had caught the signal and a few moments after Berserker's attack covered the area for a moment, obscuring visibility greatly, Misty came dashing past me, grabbing Zoroark's Pokéball I was holding out for her without pausing in her break for the entrance.

Domino seemed to catch on quickly but a fast spray of Toxic from Shadow had her back away with a yelp, allowing Misty to charge into the cave. Alone. All on her own.

_Damn it, this isn't how this was supposed to go_, I cursed mentally but regardless of that prepared for a tough battle. The sooner I finished this, the sooner I could go after Misty.

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**(Narrator)**

"With many fates hanging in the balance this episode draws to a close. What will happen to Leaf and Misty? Will Team Rocket manage to take down Mew? And how will Dawn face the final round of the Grand Festival with the unexpected complication now in her way. It will be a long day indeed for our heroes, much longer than even some of them could expect right now."

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**Maia's Prophecy**

**Maia: I see, I see, I see in the future...**

**MysticMew: This again?! I said I did not authorize this.**

**Maia shoves authorization forms into MysticMew's hands.**

**MysticMew: ... Why was I not informed?**

**Maia: I see, I see... a great battle. I see... a great struggle. I see... a new challenge. I see... a fateful meeting.**

**MysticMew: Well, I guess this isn't so bad...**

**Maia: I see...**

**MysticMew: Alright enough of that. *drags Maia away again***

**Maia: I seeeeeee... a lawsuit!**

**MysticMew: Hai, hai... dream on. This is still my story and you are just an imaginary being who's overstepping her limits... Yeow, come on, you don't have to get violent... Hey, that hurts, you know?!**

**Maia: Next time on TFSTTM Reloaded: Grand Festival, Part 2! All in a Day's Work! Be there. Read. Enjoy! And feeeeeeeeeed meeee!**

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**Author's Notes**

*searches number of his lawyer, then looks up at readers* Huh? Oh right, notes. Sorry about that, I think I have to buy her a leash...

Man, it has suddenly gotten really hot here while I'm correcting all this and the next episode. *sweats* Not that I'm complaining. It was far too cold for May for my taste but always those extreme weather changes right away... I swear a few days ago, I was half-freezing in bed at night and now we are scratching 30° Celsius. I'm not complaining though, I take the warmth every day over the freaking cold.

As for the episode. First of all, credit where credit is due. The thing with the Dark Pokémon having an effect on psychics was somewhat stolen and slightly modified from Empathic Adventures by SSJ04 Mewtwo. A nice fic, one of the few that actually pulls of an Ash/Harem somewhat successfully within the limits of canon (well, okay somewhat stretched canon going into AU).

I really have little else to say yet and might hold back on some of the more general explanations for the notes next episode. I have to say that I'm curious on your impressions how well I pulled off Contest Appeals and battles. I have no real experience with either and I find it a little hard to write with all the limitation, especially the time limit. I realize there was no real challenge in there yet but I'd like to know what you think on how I handled, my ideas for combinations etc.

The involvement of Leaf and Misty in the events surrounding Mew at this point in the story was unplanned and came sort as one of Maia's whims again, a spur of the moment thing that she came up with when it was time to do some scenes for them. It worked out in the end quite well though, I think.

Oh right, Lopunny, Pikachu and now Piplup. Err, blame that on spontaneous input as well. Something that came to me one morning on the way to the bakery. I realized I still had to address the issue and had to settle on what I actually wanted to do with it. In the end, this is what I came up with. Sorry if I am stepping on anyone's feelings with this new spin but that's how it is going to be. You just have to wait and see how it will turn out.

Yes, TFSTTM Reloaded now has an opening. By the time the third episode comes around I should have something designed and added for the first arc as well. I already know which songs I'm going to use and there is actually a reason behind the selection, aside from liking Mai-HiME and Mai Otome a lot. But you won't understand that until much later in the story. ^_^ I hope you like the opening I designed. Not exactly perfect but I think it should fit the time frame and conveys mostly what I wanted. I used to do this on and off quite a lot for my stories in the past and really thought this one needed an official opening sequence.

That's it for now. Next episode is written and ready, expect it within the next week. Have to give you some time to stew and expect, right? And please feed us. I swear if you don't, that muse will just keep driving me more crazy. ^_^

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	15. 0202a: Grand Festival, Part 2!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 2

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

Just one thing really. I am not one to demand reviews – as in I won't update unless you review. I write for myself primarily. And authors that pull such lines don't deserve to call themselves authors in my opinion.

However, knowing that this story is rather popular and then seeing as it had 632 clicks and 232 visitors on Saturday alone when I put this up on ff . net and there wasn't even one of you taking the time to review... The only one that actually reviewed the episode was Kmaster on Monday and that was like four words (still, thanks Kmaster). It is kind of disappointing. So, if you appreciate my writing, let me know please. It does not take long to write a short sentence and I'd rather take that over nothing at all. I do not expect you to review every new chapter, I know that can be tedious, but a sign of appreciation here and there would be really nice and might get me more motivated to work faster for you.

And despite what I said above: After still not getting any more reviews the entire week, I pushed this one back to the weekend again. As I said, I won't just not update simply because there are no reviews, but I DO have the power of WHEN to post updates. *grins evilly* Consider it a warning, you could have had this episode by Wednesday.

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**(Narrator)**

Ah, how relaxing. Now that my contractors are squabbling, no one is actually bothering me in these segments!

"Last time Dawn has worked herself all the way into the final of the Kanto Grand Festival. However, a mysterious competitor has unexpectedly appeared that does not only have the skill to prove a challenge but that has a strange, distracting effect on our heroine. Meanwhile Misty and Leaf are drawn into a Team Rocket attempt to eliminate the Legendary Pokémon Mew. What will become of everyone? One thing is clear though. This day will be a long one."

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**Seafoam Islands, Kanto (Dawn)**

I wasn't entirely sure what I was feeling right now. This was it. The big moment. The second time I stood in the final round of a Grand Festival and this time I had no intention of being runner-up, especially not to an opponent like this. For the moment Nord was furthest from my mind. In fact, I knew that it shouldn't matter whom I faced. I had worked so much towards this moment. The first three months before the Sinnoh League and then all this time from then until now. Everyone had worked hard and these two here especially so.

"Are you two ready?" Piplup and Lopunny responded with enthusiastic replies. There was also a certain tension in them. However, it was one of intense focus and readiness. "I am proud of you two. Remember, let's go out there and do our best. Our very best. Everything else will work out then." Lopunny nodded and went into her Pokéball without another word.

But Piplup staid a moment and then jumped up into my lap, grabbing one of my hands. I chuckled slightly, not surprised by the concerns from my first Pokémon. Piplup had never been shy to voice his opinion or to pick up on my distress. "I'll be fine, really. I know I can rely on you two and knowing that, there is no way I could let you down either." Piplup cocked his head, a little dubious but then nodded and raised his tiny hand in a cute salute. I grinned and returned him back to his Pokéball.

Yes, there was no way I could let them down. Even if it had become a regular part of our lives lately, I did not forget that the training we were doing was hard, especially so on our Pokémon. And it was them who would eventually have to put the practice to use. This wasn't just about my own dream. My Pokémon shared this goal with me, each and every day, sweating and straining to grow stronger. I could not let them down.

A knock on the door had me glance up startled, but then I smiled, recognizing the presence on the other side. I had been so concentrated on the upcoming final and maintaining my mental barriers that for once I hadn't realized his approach until now. Smiling I opened the door to find Ash grinning at me. "How did you get back here?" I asked, but inwardly didn't care, quite relieved by his soothing presence.

His grin widened and he held up his badge. "Just abusing certain privileges." I giggled and stepped aside for him to enter. It wasn't like he ever made much use of his license. In this case though I was glad he did. I would have to go soon but just for a moment I was glad to simply relax in his embrace, which he wordlessly provided. His presence was a better calming method than any meditation.

And when he eventually spoke up again, his words certainly were better than any pep-talk. "You are beautiful today." I blushed slightly when he held me at arm's length, looking me over. I had saved this dress especially for the final rounds. After all it had been a gift from Ash when we first had found the time for a proper date. "There's no way you can lose looking so gorgeous."

I punched him lightly in the arm with a giggle. "Alright, enough flattery out of you. I have to get going." With some reluctance I stepped back and ran my hand through my hair once more.

Ash chuckled. "Ready?"

I grinned. "Not yet." Stepping close once more, I stood up on tiptoes and grabbed his face for a long kiss. It was definitely far more passionate than the one back in the catacombs of the Sinnoh League stadium a good year ago. "Now I am."

Ash grinned back, obviously remembering that time as well. "Don't you dare lose." From anyone else, under these circumstances, I wouldn't have taken this well, only adding to the pressure. But from Ash in such a reminiscence of the scene from back then, I actually felt even more encouraged.

"I won't. It's a promise."

I grabbed my Pokéballs and turned to leave but Ash caught my arm once more and I looked back at him quizzically. "You are not alone," he said, much more somberly than the joking, relaxed manner from moments before. "When you are out there, even if it feels hopeless, remember that. Trust in the bond you have with your Pokémon and trust that I and so many others believe in you. Then, you truly can do anything."

I allowed the words to pass through me for a moment and knew it was the truth. They might sound like platitudes to others, especially people like Nord. But these people had never experienced them as a real, powerful truth that would help you break past all your limits and do the impossible. Ash had done his own share already. Now, it was my turn.

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The reception was definitely different from the last time. The stadium packed a lot more people and the atmosphere was totally different. At any other point it would have been slightly overwhelming. However, I was fully focused, the surroundings fading into a dull background perception.

"And without further ado, the final round of this year's Kanto Grand Festival begins." Nord was glaring at me from his own spot but hadn't said a single thing yet, not that he needed to in order to convey his feelings. "Our challengers are ready. The time limit is five minutes as usual. Coordinators, at your ready!"

I grabbed my Pokéballs and threw them into the air. "Piplup, Lopunny, Final Spotlight!" Both of them emerged in a burst of rainbow-colored light, a special seal I had prepared just for the final.

Nord merely sneered and simply threw out his own Pokéballs. I knew what to expect when Mightyena and Absol emerged but I wasn't prepared for the sudden pressure against my mental shields, far stronger and concentrated than I had anticipated even at this proximity. Only with a lot of effort I managed to suppress the wince but I also knew that my Pokémon felt it. And from the look in Nord's eyes he seemed to have caught it as well... or perhaps more like expected it.

But there was no time to further contemplate or prepare before Lillian called the beginning of the match and the timer went off...

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Episode 02: Grand Festival, Part 2! All in a Day's Work!

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**(Ash)**

I winced when the opening salvo scored direct hits. Absol had struck Piplup with a fast and precise Night Slash while Mightyena had jumped forward and attempted to chomp down on Lopunny whose superior reflexes had her barely twisting away but getting a slight nip in the side nonetheless.

I could feel Dawn's shock and frustration even from here and gripped the support railing tightly. Something was really wrong here. Sure, I had expected her to have some trouble with this but she had seemed so confident and focused backstage. This kind of reaction was in total opposite. The opening attacks had really only cost her a sliver of points – straight to the point as they were and with both of Dawn's Pokémon recovering almost instantly. However, she was off-balance and getting thrown off your game right from the start could be disastrous in a match on this level. Despite our personal misgivings, Nord was not an opponent to be taken lightly. As a former Champion, he had the experience and the strength to make things really problematic for Dawn.

We didn't have to wait long for an answer for the unexpected beginning. Nord, so far not the type to speak much, obviously felt like rubbing it in and unlike my tournament, Contest audience often was rather quiet during the matches, so one could hear him speak even from up here. "Heh, did you think you are the first Psychic I fought? Your fancy tricks won't help you against me. Did you know that Dark types have their own mental powers? And Absol here can focus and actively direct it. Let's face it, without your crutches, you are nothing. A little girl like you has no idea how the world really works. Absol, Psycho Cut. Mightyena, Crunch again!"

But Nord definitely had a few things wrong. Dawn didn't need "crutches" to be an excellent Coordinator and her Pokémon were far more independent than the average one. Lopunny bounced over Mightyena while Piplup jumped and spun away from Absol. "Piplup, Bubble Gun! Lopunny, Dizzy Punch!" Still spinning, Piplup let loose with a stream of bubbles at rapid fire speed. From experience I knew the speed made hits so hard, it became more of a physical attack.

Yet, Absol took the hits with some grunts and to my own surprise sent another Psychic Cut right through the assault that Piplup barely managed to twist away from. Lopunny wasn't better off. Her punch had actually hit but remained a glancing blow, while Nord was quick to call out an Assurance that came too quick as a counter to avoid fully. The nimble bunny cried out in pain and hopped back quickly to put some distance between herself and her opponent. Once again Nord had no intention of giving Dawn and her Pokémon even a moment of rest and a chance to collect their wits.

"This is bad. If she can't break out of this soon, he will get more than glancing blows in." I didn't take my eyes off the match but had to agree with Kenny's assessment. The other boy had joined me up here after his loss. The small space was something I had arranged to use for the final round, wanting to give all of Dawn's Pokémon a chance to watch. Therefore I had asked for this small area with a relative good view above the main stands where everyone, even Mamoswine, had enough space to watch and support her.

And that had been why I had invited Kenny up here as well, concentrating the support in one place. I knew Dawn would need that and when I had thought about how to further help her today, I had remembered my own last battle with Leaf. That time when my bond with Pikachu had become perfect. That wouldn't have been possible without all the support from my friends. I had felt it clearly then. Dawn's love and trust, Brock's support and the cheers from the audience to some degree as well. I knew then, I wasn't alone in fighting my match and that I could draw strength from that support. It had been an elating feeling, both for me and for Pikachu.

And that was why, even though I understood and agreed with Kenny's assessment, I also knew better than to think Dawn was already at her wits' end. Not by a long shot. "Dawn will win today." I could say this with absolute certainty because anything else would simply not do. Dawn had been worried about me, too, during my match with Leaf, but never once had she faltered in her belief that I could... that I would win. Doing the same now was the very least I could. "Believe in her," I said, sensing Kenny's dubious gaze on me. "That is the best we can do right now."

Despite that I still clenched my hands harder around the railing. Nord wasn't letting up. It was just the first minute and so far it was more a game of cat and mouse, Piplup and Lopunny still managing to evade the worst but any counters Dawn tried to come up with never made it far. The timing was off, the speed and execution was not as flawless as I knew she could pull them off under normal circumstances. And Nord's Pokémon were not only strong but also fast. Sure, not as fast as some of mine but enough to actually keep up with Piplup and Lopunny.

Again, this wouldn't be a problem normally. Dawn's style was actually perfect against a clear aggression tactic like Nord used. The mixture of evasion and effective combinations pulled off even under pressure could drive a Pokémon that just focused on relentless attacks past simple annoyance into sheer aggravation. Dawn had an incredible timing to do the right thing at just the right moment. But now her greatest strength was clearly hindered. And Nord was experienced enough to capitalize on that.

With a start I realized that I had gripped the metal bar so tightly it had actually dented. _I tend to forget that the training has made us a lot stronger, too_, I mused with a stray thought but then quickly focused back on the task at hand. Something had to be done and when I glanced back at Dawn's Pokémon watching their Trainer struggle below with various degrees of concern, I suddenly got a splendid idea.

The biggest problem at the moment was the mental influence obviously affecting Dawn far stronger right now than just a mere headache. Take that out of the equation and I knew she could turn this match around. On her own it would be hard for her in this kind of situation. Off balance, under pressure, with no time to properly focus, even with all the trust I had, I knew she couldn't do that in the remaining three and a half minutes. Not by herself. But then again, just like I had told her, she wasn't alone.

"Alright, guys," I addressed Dawn's remaining Pokémon seriously, immediately getting their attention. "You all need to help now." The plan wasn't so much a plan. More like a vague idea, but it didn't need to be perfect. This was about trust, about support, about our feelings for Dawn. And in the end, that had always served us best.

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**(Piplup)**

When I first hit my evolution conditions, I admit it wasn't at the best of times. Dawn had had problems with Mamoswine not obeying her one bit and I wasn't really sure about whether or not I wanted to evolve to begin with. Seeing the stubbornness of our recent addition to the team had partly convinced me that evolving came equally with a change. Whether that was a change of personality altogether or just one of interaction, I wasn't sure. Seeing how close Ash and Pikachu were, I suppose made a great impression on me. Dawn and I fit together well as we were and I wanted to be more like Ash and his first Pokémon. Therefore I feared that our relationship would change should I evolve.

Right now, I almost wished I had taken the plunge. Snarling I tried to once more push past my opponent but only earned another stinging Night Slash for my troubles. And those hits hurt, they really did. There weren't many ordinary Pokémon that could inflict that much damage on us anymore. Our condition training had been grueling but we had all went along with it. Especially me. I wanted to be stronger. For Dawn. For our dream. There had never been a question of whether or not I could endure the things outlined to us at the beginning. Never a question of how far I would make it. Merely a question of how fast I could grow.

Not fast enough it seemed. While fending off another X-Scissors with a fast Water Gun that only served to push me further away, I watched helplessly how Lopunny was in even more trouble than me. Further away from where Mightyena had finally succeeded in clamping around her ears with a vicious Poison Fang. The cry of pain hurt me more than any of Absol's attacks so far and for a split moment my attention was fixated on the sight. Helpless anger burning inside myself when Mightyena didn't let go but used the opportunity to swing my partner upwards and slam her down on the stage floor.

Regardless how much I swore to myself that I would stay focused, that I wouldn't get distracted by my feelings for her, the absolute inability to do something to help her right now, ate into my heart sharper than any blade. My guard was down for a moment and Absol's Psycho Cut hit me head on. Physical agony complemented the emotional one but also served to override my rationality for the moment.

So far I had managed to stay focused, knowing that with the way Dawn was right now, it was far more up to Lopunny and I than any of us would like to admit feeling comfortable about. I knew if I made a mistake now, it could mean defeat right there. And yet, at that one moment it was too much and I lost it. Powering through the pain with raw anger and desperation, I charged at my foe, intent on unleashing all my frustration.

It was a foolish move and I paid dearly when Absol caught my beak in its mouth and then hit me with another Night Slash that lifted me up into the air. Tumbling disorientated from the new pain, I didn't recognize the follow-up Psycho Cut until it drove into me from above. Shocked out of my anger, I could do nothing before Absol finished its combination with X-Scissors.

I slammed hard into the ground, feeling like I had gone three battles in a row with Pikachu at full power. Every bone in my body ached and try as I might, I couldn't even muster the thought of trying to get up. Was that it? Was that the limit of our efforts? To be beaten here? In a match like this? Against an opponent who didn't even care one bit about the ideals of a Coordinator? I waited for the finishing blow... but it never came.

Unsure of how much time had elapsed, I turned my head around. Only two minutes left. Nord didn't have much of a point advantage surprisingly... or not, his tactics were not exactly Contest-worthy. But he had a lead and as long as he could keep us separated and off-balance, it would be enough. If we even lasted that long. I wasn't sure myself I could continue right now, even more surprised I had apparently not been declared out of the match.

But then my gaze found my partner and I felt like crying. There had been no further attack coming at me because Absol had joined its partner in tormenting Lopunny. And I meant that literally. She was weak from the poison and constantly trying to evade. Now one attack after another came at her and it was clearly too much. It didn't matter how much condition training we had made, no one was able to take that amount of damage for very long. I couldn't even feel anger anymore when I saw her getting caught in a ruthless Crunch from Mightyena, who let her dangle from its mouth while Absol hit her with several repeated attacks. It was more like a beating than a match.

Tearing my gaze away, I found Dawn standing there shocked, angry... helpless. Had she given up? I couldn't even begin to imagine what she had to be feeling right now. Apart from our emotional bond, I had little idea about mental powers and doubted I could ever master any of them. I wished I could. I wished I could share her pain, to understand it and to help her through this. The only way I could really tell something was really wrong was that even that emotional bond we had felt dull, lifeless, cut off somehow.

During the entire match I had mostly been on my own and that was bound to be our undoing. We were strongest together. Our synchrony, our harmony, that was what defined us on stage, defined us for Contests and defined our very relationship as a whole.

No, Dawn wouldn't give up. Not like this. Not so close. Her dreams were our dreams. Something had to be done, I needed to show her that not all was lost. That she could trust in us and we trusted in her. In the end all her new powers were nothing but an added bonus – a bonus that had now become a burden. We could do this even without them. We could win even against these odds. I truly believed that she could shake of the influence. Dawn was strong, perhaps much stronger than me.

Yes, I had to do something. Struggling to my feet, despite my body's protests, I found that this resolution was even more dire than just helping Dawn past her problem. At Nord's command, Mightyena and Absol had backed up. I swallowed a lump in my throat when I saw Lopunny lying there badly beaten, weakly struggling with herself. She was just as stubborn as me when it came to this match. We had both vowed to see Dawn to victory today. No doubt she was thinking the same things as me right now, despite all the pain.

"Finish her off," Nord's cold voice could have frozen fire. It definitely engulfed my heart, seeing his two Pokémon prepare something completely different. Absol had jumped on Mightyena and both were glowing in a strong aura of Dark-type energy. I wasn't so much concerned about the fact that they were actually preparing a combo or that this one seemed to be less physical than the majority of their attacks. I was concerned for their target. Lopunny wasn't in a condition to move anytime soon and the amount of power those two were gathering was a lot. In her state, an attack like this could do much more to Lopunny than just knocking her out.

I didn't even spare any thoughts on what I had to do. I heard Dawn yelling for Lopunny. But it was desperate and even if she had full control, Lopunny wouldn't be able to do anything. I was the only one left and I would die before letting harm come to her!

Thus I forced my tired legs and aching body to move. Time seemed to slow as I saw the dark aura getting denser around the two who would dare hurt my precious mate, willingly ready to inflict injury or worse. I could not stand for it. I could not allow this to happen! I would protect her and I would protect our dream as well! Regardless of what it took!

I didn't register that the Everstone began to crack...

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**(Dawn)**

Pure torture.

Adequately describing just what it was I was feeling during the match would be impossible. It was a bit like a huge weight had been flung at me and I was now desperately trying not to get pulled down and buried underneath. But the end result was best describe as pure torture. I could still follow the match, I could still give commands but not only could I hardly feel our bond, reducing the reaction time to a bare minimum but the oppressive feeling was more than just distracting now. More than once I had barely caught myself from making a bad judgment call.

So in the end I could just barely react and now had to watch helplessly as my Pokémon paid the price. I would have shouted in anger at Nord at the treatment of Lopunny but that would have required a loss of even more control and anymore of that would surely crush my fragile defenses completely. Nonetheless, I was helpless, desperate and frustrated. My dream was slipping away in a manner I had never imagined possible. However, even worse was the feeling of seeing my Pokémon hurt so much, their own hard work crushed in such a manner.

Then Nord ordered his Pokémon for a final attack on the downed Lopunny and my eyes widened, horror gripping my heart. "No, stop it!" I cried out and immediately winced, stumbling and barely catching myself on one knee as my barrier slipped further.

Time seemed to slow to a crawling pace as I watched helplessly as the dark aura solidified. I could feel it in every fiber of my being, a nauseating, sickening power to my already weakened mind. Frantically I tried to think of something, anything that could help Lopunny. Yet, in the end, she was down, barely conscious at this point. Even if I had some idea, it wouldn't do any good. A sudden wetness trickling down my cheek made me aware of the tears in my eyes. I couldn't let it end like this. I would rather take the hit myself than to have Lopunny experience what was supposed to follow.

There was no other choice. Everything else was hopeless at this point. Forgive me, I failed you. With a heavy heart, I grabbed for Lopunny's Pokéball, prepared to call her back, which would effectively take her out of the match and pretty much destroy any chance of still turning this around. Their safety was more important though.

I was just about to lift it when I saw the amazing sight of Piplup – beaten and clearly on the last vestiges of his strength – struggling to his feet and breaking into a wobbly but determined run towards his partner. Part of me was immediately concerned that now they would both be facing the enemy attack, however, before I could react to that new development, something pierced through the fog of dark energy in my mind.

*Don't give up!*

I couldn't tell you how but I knew with absolute certainty that it was Piplup's voice, piercing like a ray of light into deep darkness. And that ray was just the beginning to something more. I could feel it then. Warmth, love, support, hope, trust. For a moment my gaze turned and I saw Ash and Kenny up above the stands and all of my Pokémon were there. I could feel their concentration, I could feel their support flowing into me. And I could feel Espeon and Togekiss sharing their own mental powers to reinforce my barrier.

*When you are out there, even if it feels hopeless, remember that. Trust in the bond you have with your Pokémon and trust that I and so many others believe in you. Then, you truly can do anything.*

NO! I couldn't stop here! Not with everyone putting so much trust, so much effort into seeing my dream realized. No, not just my dream. Our dream. My Pokémon took as much part in it as Ash had come to. Just like I had and was sharing his dream, so did he for me. And to give up now would be betraying them as well.

"Absolute Darkness!" Somewhat detached I saw Mightyena and Absol fire a thick beam of dark energy at my downed Pokémon. It was a strange feeling, so unlike before. There was no fear for Lopunny because I knew even before it could hit that Piplup was there and to the amazement of everyone – partly including myself – was throwing himself against the beam with sheer physical force and will. I also knew that no matter what, he wouldn't give in. However, I was surprised by what happened next.

Just as it seemed he was getting pushed back and overwhelmed, he began to glow brightly. Unbelieving, I could just stare as Piplup was evolving. Part of me wondered what happened to the Everstone but the bigger part of me was amazed that he was actually going through with it. I could feel it though. His determination, his absolute, fierce unwillingness to give up on what we had all worked so hard for. This was for me, just as much as it was for himself and all the others.

Seeing this act of selfless commitment was the last push I needed. Reaching deep inside myself, drawing strength from the feelings of everyone pouring into me, I pushed against the darkness surrounding my mind with a colossal mental effort. And just like that, everything snapped into place. Where before numbness had dulled my senses, I could see and feel everything. Much more strongly and acutely than before. Even Piplup and Lopunny's presence was as if I was linking myself with Espeon.

Calm and invigorating energy flowed through me and I allowed it to flow outward towards Pi... Prinplup and Lopunny. I didn't need to look to see Lopunny struggling to her feet, I didn't need to see Prinplup standing tall against the dark beam by using Bide, bit by bit absorbing the energy. It was much less a mental link or a telepathic communications. Lopunny simply knew what I wanted the moment I thought it. In fact, this felt more like we – Prinplup, Lopunny and I – were sharing a single mind for the moment.

"Impossible!" we heard Nord exclaim as the Ice Beam pierced the halted and weakened combination attack with such force that when it struck Nord's Pokémon, they were flung halfway across the stage.

"It is not," I said calmly, slowly opening my eyes and rising to my feet, barrier now firmly in place and my mind clearer than I ever thought it had been before, touched and merged with those of my Pokémon. "But I do not expect you to understand." Just a little time left on the clock. Good. That had to do. "Hope, trust, friendship. You never believed in these things, did you? I would feel pity for you but after what you tried to do to my Pokémon for your selfish ego... Let me show you exactly why you never became a Master!"

A shared mental plan was made and Prinplup lost no time in acting on it. Using the stored up power from Bide, he created a giant whirlpool, much bigger than anything he had ever managed before. I could feel that both of my Pokémon were exhausted, drawing on sheer will for reserve, but unwilling to give up. As soon as the Whirlpool was completely formed Lopunny fired a Charge Beam at it, sending highly potent electricity into the current. Prinplup didn't flinch though as the conducting water poured some of it through him but waited until the two attacks had mixed enough before throwing the Whirlpool at our recovering opponents.

Nord was experienced enough to get them clear of the worst of it but compared to us, Mightyena and Absol were not used to being on the defense. The attack was just too big to completely avoid and left them drenched and electrified quite a bit.

This time the tables had turned and it was Nord who was off-balance, disbelieving at the sudden reversal. We didn't press the attack immediately but used his own distraction against him when he had his Pokémon rush mine again. This time we were ready. This time there was nothing hindering us. Prinplup jumped over Absol's Night Slash, then caught its horn by employing a variation of Metal Claw – which he seemed to have learned along with the evolution – and flung it back, almost to the edge of the stage.

At the same time Lopunny twisted past Mightyena's lunge with the same grace that had become her trademark, as if all the damage hadn't occurred before. We shared a good bit of satisfaction when the Focus Punch struck the Wolf Pokémon straight in the nuzzle, sending it howling straight after its partner.

Only thirty seconds left. Time to finish this.

Perhaps we didn't quite have a badass finisher like Pikachu but that didn't mean there wasn't a final ace left to play. We didn't even hesitate. Regardless of the fact that we had never managed to pull it off fully in training. At least not without at least minute or so focusing and preparation. This time, however, the circumstances were perfect. The evolution had given Prinplup another boost in strength and elemental control. His earlier action had impressed Lopunny so much that their harmony and synchrony were at their highest. And with everyone giving their strength, driving away fatigue and any other distraction, the only path open was the one of success.

_Are you watching, mom? This is what we have all worked so hard for._

"Crystal... Dream."

Technically it was nothing spectacular. A Hydro Pump and Ice Beam combination. Something everyone here had seen those two do quite a lot. The difference lay in the very delicate process of mixing them just right. Strength, density, timing, everything had to be just right down to the molecules – literally.

A hushed whisper rang through the stadium when the two attacks met and merged. Everyone expected some kind of frozen water attack. But the end result was a more and more expanding "beam" of pure crystal. Solid, strong and sparkling in rainbow colors but despite that still moving forward, growing, as if it was still liquid. Nord simply gaped and we felt a not too small amount of satisfaction at his stupefied expression when he watched without reaction as the attack slammed into Mightyena and Absol with the force of a bullet train. Already at the edge of the stage, they were driven right off, flying through the air for a long time even as the crystal seemed to engulf them before bursting with a great spectacle of light and crystal shards flying everywhere, leaving Mightyena and Absol stuck against the lower boundary of the stands, not moving an inch and certainly they would not any time soon.

"T-Time!" Lillian's shaky voice cut through the stunned silence. Jolted out of my absolute connection, it took me a moment to become used to the feeling of independent thought again before I automatically glanced towards the board. The time was indeed up and there hadn't been a signal for knockout which meant... "The time was up before competitor Nord's Pokémon fainted," Lillian explained and for a moment I felt my heart clench.

But then my gaze moved upwards, where the points were displayed. Logically I knew that Nord's methods would not have brought him much points and we had managed to pull off two spectacular combinations that the judges should know weren't exactly easy to produce.

I registered what I saw on the board but I think it only really settled when Lillian announced the result. "Therefore, winner of this year's Kanto Grand Festival is... Dawn!"

I won. I did it!

No, not just me. We. Prinplup and Lopunny, all my other Pokémon and Ash, too. This was truly a result of our friendship, love and shared dreams. It was the kind of victory that incorporated everything Contests stood for. A total harmony between Coordinator and their Pokémon, one bringing out the absolute best in the other, in both ways.

Overwhelming joy was threatening to burst in my heart. Joy at winning, of course, but also for all my dear friends who had done their very best to walk this road with me up to this point. Where Nord's efforts had failed to bring me down in the end, now the happiness did. The moment I relaxed my concentration, the fatigue caught up to me and I sank to my knees. But Prinplup and Lopunny were already there, smiling at me. Tired but proudly.

Without another word, I opened my arms and enveloped them in a fierce embrace, this time letting the tears flow freely and without restraint as we bathed in this eternal moment of success and happiness.

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**Cerulean Cave, Outskirts of Cerulean City (Misty)**

This wasn't exactly how I had imagined to spend my day off. I had at least reserved the morning and afternoon to indulge myself in watching the Kanto Grand Festival finals. Having Leaf drop in for one of her unexpected visits had certainly been even more reason to look forward to a day of leisure and enjoyment. But we had barely managed to watch the recording of the first rounds when things started to go wrong.

There was never a question in my mind whether or not I would help the other girl. I was a Gym Leader, damn it – and according to the young Master a rather good one –, I wasn't the type to sit by idly when others headed into a dangerous situation – at least not when I knew about it – and much more importantly Mew and Mewtwo were a special topic for Ash, Brock and me. Neither of them would have hesitated a moment either. Both of our meetings were defining factors in our young lives, memories that would stay forever – thankfully for real now.

What really bothered me about this whole thing was that Mewtwo was supposed to have erased the memory of those after him. I could only fathom that this merely applied to the second encounter and not to their existence altogether. Or had something else happened? I didn't know but I found it all quite irritating.

"Are we getting any closer?" We had been sneaking through the complex tunnel system for a long time now. The process had been difficult since Leaf had warned me that in the event that we got separated I should try and avoid direct confrontations as much as possible. I could see the logic in that since going so deep into the cave meant that every battle would exhaust my Pokémon and eventually, even if I were to find Mew, I might not be able to do anything because my entire team was already too weak. Unfortunately that meant carefully avoiding small teams of Team Rocket members combing the caves.

"I would like to say, yes," the big fox-like Pokémon at my side said, "but that would be lying." Zoroark was a big help and without him I probably would have been either lost or had run into so much battles I couldn't have continued. So far he had anticipated not only possible run-ins in time to avoid them but his very presence mostly scared off the wild Pokémon living in here. "At least I can safely say that they haven't caught up with the Holy One either."

Well, I suppose that was a good thing then. If Team Rocket didn't succeed in what they came here for that would be acceptable. Even if it would leave me in a sour mood for having to traverse in the damp, dark cave tunnels for nothing. Considering how much time had gone by, Dawn was probably just having her final match. I had wanted to see that, especially after what Leaf had said about that other "Coordinator". Well, a recording would have to do.

"This isn't getting us anywhere," I said, stopping to take a sip from my canteen. "It's only the two of us here while Leaf is tied up with the crazy bitch. They've got more men and are more likely to find Mew while we are sneaking around." I wasn't too worried about the other girl. Knowing how strong she was, there was no need to believe she was in any danger, regardless how high up the ladder the blonde – I forgot her name – actually was. Unfortunately, communications down here was strongly impeded. I had tried to contact her a few times but never got a clear signal in. Somehow I doubted she was still fighting her opponent. We had been down here for hours. Of course catching up to us here all on her own wasn't exactly easy either. I had grown up in Cerluean City but only had been in the outer edges of this cave, never so far in.

"Perhaps you are right," Zoroark replied lowly. Sound carried far here and the least we wanted was to be discovered like this. "From what I can feel it seems the other humans are starting to surround the Holy One's position gradually." I grimaced. That meant they could track Mew, too, perhaps even far more accurate than Zoroark's vague senses could. I wouldn't put the possibility beyond Team Rocket's capabilities.

The question was: What could we do? Even if we did manage to sneak by all the opposition and catch up with Mew before them, it didn't eliminate the dozens of Team Rocket members. Sure, I might have confidence to take on a few of them but going through them all? That certainly wouldn't help in achieving the mission objective...

Mission objective. Of course! I grinned slightly. "Say, can you tell where the team nearest to Mew's location is?" The idea was kind of reckless and I was sure to get a reprimand from Leaf for this but I really didn't see much other choice.

Zoroark looked back at me questioningly but without a word closed his eyes to check. I waited anxiously, fingering my Pokéballs in anticipation. Eventually the Fox Pokémon opened his eyes again. "About half a mile from our position there is a greater group of humans. If they continue on their way, they will cut of the Holy One's current flight path." That was all relative, I knew. Zoroark seemed to have mostly memorized the map of the caves but even he couldn't project it together with what he was sensing that accurately.

"Any way we can cut them off before they can do so?" I asked hopefully.

Zoroark just stared, then blinked in recognition. "I see. A bold idea but perhaps the best course of action right now. If we take the tunnel to the right and follow the path, we should run into them eventually." I was glad that I didn't have to argue with the Pokémon. He had taken my safety rather seriously to this point – stating that Leaf would be "very cross with him" if something were to happen to me – and I had almost expected having to convince him. But it seemed, he understood. The ultimate mission objective was not to find Mew but to prevent whatever Team Rocket had planned for the Legendary. Diverting the attention of several of the pursuers at once might just do that.

Grimly I turned towards the indicated tunnel and steeled my nerves. This would be different. I didn't have to fight serious battles outside official rules or normal wild battles since travelling with Ash and Dawn. A mistake now could cost me more than the match. These guys weren't the bumbling fools that Jesse and James had been. My decision stood, however. Besides if worse came to worse I could try a hit and run, trying to draw off as many of them as possible.

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**Cerulean City (Leaf)**

"Looks like... I win after all." I panted, slightly out of breath, more from the mental exhaustion than the little bit of fighting I had done myself, but also quite a bit annoyed it had taken me so damn long to get to this point. Having to send Misty into the cave by herself was risky enough and the more time passed, the more I was convinced, it wasn't one of my best choices. All by herself against all the remaining enemies in the cave? What had I been thinking?

Domino had not made it easy for me either. Her Pokémon were tough. Not enough to defeat me, but enough to stall me until she had called back an entire unit of reinforcements. Six grunts and their Pokémon, all moderately skilled. Each of them clearly nowhere near my level but the sheer number served to drag the battle out. Even using the emergency release of the limitation of Pokémon actively usable, it took a long time to take out all the "cannon fodder" and certainly left my team at least slightly winded.

Only then had Domino entered the battle again herself, still leaving the massive Electivire out of the battle. Nonetheless she proved to be a tough opponent and with the advantage of having most of her remaining team fresh and the others recovered, I actually lost quite a few of my Pokémon, regardless of how conservative I had been battling.

Most of my Sinnoh League team was still intact now that it was only the strange Electivire left and still the blonde Rocket Elite did seem peculiar unconcerned. "So it would seem. Of course, you realize the girl alone won't accomplish much. In fact, by the time you get past me, it will already be too late."

I gave her a grim smile. "I don't think so. If your objective here was already achieved, you would have long escaped instead of wasting resources." After all this was a specialized team here, not the kind of lackeys I had been dealing with over the last months.

"Even so. It won't be long now and you have not yet defeated me." She made a hand gesture and suddenly the Electivire surged forward. The charge came with such viciousness that I was taken completely by surprise for one moment. That would cost me dearly. Snatch received a brutal Thunderpunch that sent him crashing with a sickening crack against a rock. While I was still shocked by the sheer power, Electivire had already followed up smoothly and took even Lemuria out by employing a Thunder attack that could easily rival one of Ash's Pikachu's without the limiter. Granted both had been quite tired already but the raw power displayed was far above any of what Domino's other Pokémon had shown.

There was also something that felt very, very wrong about Electivire. Sure, I had no psychic powers or similar senses like Zoroark but its size aside, even I could tell something was off about this Pokémon. Was this one of the secrets Team Rocket had done so much work in covering up lately? Some kind of genetic experiment?

"Careful, guys. That one is tough. Let's not take any chances," I addressed my remaining Pokémon. Flawlessly Shadow took point and absorbed the next Thunder in a variation of Black Hole which we had been practicing. Not quite as potent as the full version, it could be employed in a way that still allowed some movement and counter action. The basic flaw of the original – its stationary nature – was what ultimately cost me the match with Ash after all and I wouldn't deserve the title of Master if I didn't work to correct such weaknesses.

This allowed Shadow to jump up when Berserker followed with Earthquake, firing of a Toxic while Hellfire charged low. The Earthquake hit and sent Electivire slightly up into the air but to my frustration I saw the Toxic dissipate against a powerful electric charge. However, that allowed Hellfire to follow up with a sweeping Flamethrower going upwards and catching Electrivire during its fall. Shadow immediately followed up with a Dark Pulse that pushed the huge Pokémon further back.

Still Electivire managed to remain on its feet and merely shook its head with a growl, apparently just more angry. The fury directed at my Pokémon was unsettling. There was something really wrong with the kind of mindless rage. It was like it had no will of its own, no own consciousness, just a relentless lust for battle. Domimo hadn't even given any commands and somehow I had the impression that even if she did, Electivire might not even listen.

Grimacing slightly, I was far from giving up though. Okay, it was strong but hardly any stronger than any of Ash's stronger ones. With three of my best working together, this shouldn't be too big of a problem.

Before I could get back into the battle, however, I caught Domino taking out some kind of device and speaking into it lowly. Obviously some sort of communicator to stay in contact with her team. This immediately worried me since it could very well mean one of several worst possibilities. Torn between this and the raging Electivire, my Pokémon barely avoided another charge, thankfully skilled enough to keep their opponent at least busy without my active participation.

Finally Domino looked up from her device, amused at my attention. "Too bad, it looks like our target teleported away." The grin she sent me didn't quite match the disappointment the statement should have brought and immediately snuffed out my relief. "Of course, I anticipated something like this. Exhausted like this, there are only a few likely locations even a powerful Psychic like Mew can go." Which meant most if not all these possibilities were covered. "Too bad for you, little girl. Your intervention was doomed to fail from the start with only two of you."

This was bad, I needed to take her down now. If there was any chance of salvaging the situation, capturing the enemy's leader of their mission would be the only option. That, of course, meant getting past Electivire first. Well, I wouldn't need to hold back further now, knowing Mew was long gone.

Again I never got the chance. To my astonishment, Domino chose this moment to recall Electivire into a pitch black Pokéball. Perplexed I started towards her, wary but not about to give her the chance of doing whatever she was planning. "Nuh uh, I wouldn't do that," Domino said, stopping me, indecisive for a moment. "I have recalled all my men from the cave but it seems your little friend had the bright idea of challenging several of them in hopes of tying them up."

A cold chill ran down my spine. Misty. I knew rationally that even if I hurried, it would take some time to find her down there. I should focus on catching Domino but my heart said something different. Before I could make up my mind, the sound of a helicopter overhead could be heard and then Domino activated some kind of hover pack strapped to her back. She laughed. "I would hurry. Wouldn't that be a shame if you got someone who isn't even an official League Agent killed?"

Cursing, I recalled my Pokémon and, ignoring the fleeing woman, dashed into the cave.

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**Lake Valor, Sinnoh (May)**

With a little wistfulness I watched the celebration. Dawn looked really tired but glowing as happy as I had been feeling yesterday and still was to some degree. She was leaning against Ash behind her, proudly presenting the trophy. No, I wasn't really wistful because of seeing the two of them together. After all I did not begrudge them their happiness. However, they had at least each other to share this moment with.

My own victory was not any less important. Regardless of my underlying reasons and motivations, becoming Top Coordinator had been my goal and now I had reached it. And because of that, it felt kind of lonely celebrating all by myself, just with my Pokémon. There had been a small party afterwards but save for Harley I barely knew anyone. He had mellowed out some over the years and genuinely congratulated me on my victory but we never had been very close and so all the people there that I barely knew, just reminded me that travelling alone simply was not the same as travelling with friends.

At least I did have the easier match, I thought. Dawn's final battle was really intense and I had been worried for a long time. Even more so I had been amazed and impressed by her comeback. It took a lot of willpower and character to fight back from a situation like this. I wasn't sure if I could have done it. Not here, not without the kind of support she had in Ash. Whatever had been bothering her, had affected her almost the whole match and yet in a single instant she had turned the entire thing around.

Clearly her sudden revival had caught her opponent completely off guard. With the way the match was going, I could understand how only very few would be able to deal with such a sudden reversal. Nord had had the match under control, he was clearly assured of victory. At the point just before it happened, even I had almost thought that the match really was over.

As such the sudden comeback would have caught most people unaware. Shifting a mindset after dominating the battle for so long was not exactly easy. That is why sudden reversals from almost assured losses had such great potency. Momentum was the real key aspect here. From what I had seen Nord was clearly an experienced and strong Trainer. But regardless how good you were, sometimes one small moment, one important action could shift the entire momentum of a match. It would be so sudden that your entire battle plan, your entire mindset would suddenly crumble and allow the opponent to capitalize, reversing a match into their favor before you knew what happened.

I had experienced this quite a few times myself, including last year's final against Drew. And as such I knew that the spectacular way in which Dawn had eventually won was less because without whatever had been blocking her she was simply stronger – the better Coordinator, that I could agree on – but much more due to the momentum gained from that point and the fierceness of her comeback.

"And now, before we can all send you home, there is an important announcement I am required to make that concerns all recent Top Coordinators and of course, all of you Contest fans out there." And here it came. The announcement had definitely taken me by surprise when it had been made after my own win yesterday. Not an unwelcome surprise though.

"Because of the rising popularity of Contests, the Pokémon League has announced plans to make the Contest circuit even more competitive and eventful as League Championships already are. As a first step, in about one year time a cross-regional tournament will take place, pairing Trainers and Coordinators together in teams and pitching them against each other as the first cross-regional and battle-Contest mix ever. Qualification rounds will be held over the next year, with the first ones deciding a spot on the team of most recent Sinnoh League Champion Ash Ketchum will be held in just over a month."

I did snicker slightly at the stunned look on Ash and Dawn's faces. Clearly, not even Ash had had an idea about this and was similarly taken by surprise. "Further details will be supplied to qualified applicants soon. I hope we will all see you there. You can expect a great show when only the best Top Coordinators are competing for this new prestigious event."

Dawn would participate, of course. There was no way that she wouldn't considering Ash's involvement. The way I understood it, the qualification rounds were just one way of getting into the teams, of course, but that definitely wouldn't stop Dawn. And neither would it stop me.

No, the surprise was definitely not unwelcome. In fact, the setting was perfect to not only catch up to them and make my own feelings clear, but also to show them how serious I was. Dawn's victory had been as impressive as I had expected it to be. She definitely had the harder challenge in the end, regardless how generally tougher the opposition here in Sinnoh might have been. I knew she was still a good bit ahead of me. This new Contest type was the perfect stage to prove my own worth to them.

"You are pleased," Naru commented suddenly, making me jump slightly. I had thought she was asleep. It wasn't a question either.

"I am." I genuinely smiled. For the first time in recent months I felt invigorated and totally psyched up for something. It was kind of funny that this was getting me more motivated than even the Grand Festival just now, but it was also so much more personal. "It won't be easy but I am really looking forward to this."

Naru chuckled, a rare sound from the often rather moody Eevee. "Good. You look much more appealing that way." I blushed slightly, not expecting the comment. But then again, Naru was never one to mince words, so I could take the observation as genuine. "You might need an edge if you want to have a chance against her." Which I suppose was correct. Considering Dawn had obviously been handicapped almost the entire final match and still managed to win, meant I would have to make even more of an effort as I had so far and even then the gap might still be too big. "Want me to help?"

I blinked, definitely not expecting this. Naru hadn't participated in any Contest so far and I had never considered forcing the issue. She was a special case after all and as such her sudden willingness was really heart-warming. I smiled genuinely in response. "I'd like that."

Dawn wouldn't know what hit her.

END 02-02a, click next to continue...


	16. 0202b: Grand Festival, Part 2!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 2

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Cerulean Cave (Mew)**

This was fun.

Well, if I were a few centuries younger perhaps, the situation not quite so dire and the danger not quite so lethal. I had to admit that over all this time I had tried to preserve my playful side, a task not quite as easy as it might seem to those that actually got to see me. As such the continuous game of hide-and-seek would have been appealing if not for its serious nature.

At least the cultivation of my playful side had allowed me to keep a positive attitude. Many of the original generation had long since succumbed to an overly serious outlook in life, mixed with a selection of gloom, sarcasm, cynicism or other such quirks. That wasn't quite surprising considering the heavy duty resting on their shoulders. In fact, I could consider myself fairly blessed, mostly unrestricted and free to explore the world until the prophesized time.

Which was now. And if I didn't get out of here soon, all the waiting might have been for naught. Sensing another group of humans and "things" trying to cut me off into a dead end, I had to perform another short teleport into a side passage, quickly dashing away from my pursuers.

One thing this definitely was would be exhausting. I would have almost preferred a head-on fight. But even with Mewtwo tying up several of them, there still were a lot, I was still partly drained from the earlier activities and as much as I hated to admit it, the enemy was clever and coordinated.

At the beginning I had barely managed to take out two of the abominations. Not only had I quickly realized though that I wouldn't be able to keep this up for long, but also that in doing so I had almost allowed myself to get surrounded. After that I had taken to flight. Another opportunity to get one of them alone had not presented itself, there was always at least another close by.

Regardless of being able to evade them so far, I couldn't entirely eliminate several confrontations, each of them further forcing me to exert more energy than I could afford just to get clear again. Each of these creatures were tough and in my current state I doubted I could handle more than two at once – and even that was already a strain. If I could just rest for a little while, recover some of my strength but they wouldn't let me. I knew stopping would be fatal. They'd be all over me instantly.

Giovanni really wasn't sparing the effort. I doubted strongly this was anything but a chance encounter, a stroke of luck in discovering us here. For that though, the coordinated effort to take me down was surprising... and deeply concerning. If their preparations were that advanced already that they could spare and employ a strike team like this on such short notice, then it wouldn't take much longer before they made a move.

_I should have gone to them earlier after all_, I thought darkly. They had already gotten so much stronger and my Chosen had also made great progress, her powers already starting to awaken. However, I had wanted to give them some more time. Right now was an important part of her life and I didn't want to add more weight on the shoulders of one so young.

But now it seemed time had run out. Ironically not for them, but for me. And now I couldn't wait any longer. I had been trying to reach out a couple of times to my Chosen but had been repelled by surprisingly strong shields and a fierce mental concentration. There was frustration and concern behind it, and a dark cloud pressing on these barriers – but far too weak to be anything too serious. However, pressing further would only serve to break her defenses, I had realized. And that was not my intention. There wasn't really anything direct she could do for me anyway.

Those other two might. I had sensed them almost as soon as they came here. I had been both elated and immediately concerned that they were here. It was too early for a confrontation like this. I knew one of them was my opposite, the one that had started to prepare the others slightly. That was good but she was tied up at the entrance for quite some time now. The other one I also recognized, she was there at THAT day, with Mewtwo and I. She was all by herself though. If I went to her, it would immediately draw all the attention from me to her and might just make things worse.

Mewtwo was getting weaker, too. That much I could sense. There was no time to start getting worried though. My clone definitely could take care of himself. He wouldn't needlessly sacrifice himself, I was sure of that. Of course, if he could and would be allowed to escape afterwards was another question. I retained my hope, though. It was the only thing I could. Belief was a powerful force after all.

Then I noticed the sudden pause of several of my pursuers and the cause for the sudden gap in their net. Torn between relief and concern for my benefactor, I had little choice but to take the offered opportunity. Anything else would make the effort wasted and that just wouldn't do.

Zipping down the corridor at high speed, I almost missed the slight tingling of my senses and just barely evaded the giant claw trying to literally snap me in half as the towering Drapion burst from the ground so sudden, I was perplexed for a crucial moment. Enough for an overpowered Shadow Ball to hit me in the side. Crying out, I bounced against the wall, barely managing to stay afloat and turning to see that my attacker had been a Gengar that had to have been phasing through the wall.

_Crap, I have been so focused on everyone else, I didn't pay attention to my immediate surroundings. This isn't good._ The two warped creatures immediately rushed at me again and I hastily threw up a barrier in their way, dashing away again. It wouldn't hold them for long and now that I was more aware of the area directly around myself, I noticed several more presences moving outside the normal pathways.

"Really not good," I muttered. I needed to get away. If I kept that up, they would have me eventually. Part of me had hoped that more reinforcements for the other two would arrive soon, diverting my pursuers' attention further, but it seemed that wouldn't happen. Not soon enough at least.

Desperation was starting to rise inside of me and I forcefully pressed down on it but nonetheless reached out once more with my senses to my Chosen. It seemed whatever had required such an intense focus had passed. In fact, I could feel her more settled, her powers more stable. Left with little other choice, I drew what energy I could still gather in the moment together. Stopping in the middle of the tunnel I was aware of the two that had almost caught me off-guard moving in from behind and others starting to surround me.

It would be risky. Making such a long jump in my state would almost completely drain me. I knew I could but if anything else went wrong afterwards, I would be as weak as a Caterpie...

The growl of something large from further up ahead, shaking the tunnel walls dangerously made the decision for me. Latching onto the presence of the one person I knew I needed right now, drawing some extra strength from the unused and unacknowledged connection, I teleported out of the cave...

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**Heal Bell, Academy (Brock)**

With mild humor but a far stronger adoration, I watched Ako go through a checklist of everything we would need for our trip. Watching the final of the Kanto Grand Festival was obviously still affecting her. It was interesting to watch how she had been caught up in the battle or how relieved she had been when it was all over. While a dedicated student most of the times, Ako could get refreshingly affected by things that captivated her, manifesting in overly emotional reactions that some could find a little childish. I just found them cute. Another adoring aspect of this beautiful young woman that had blessed my life so unexpectedly.

Her reaction to the conclusion of the final still brought a soft smile to my face. "Phew, I'm so relieved!" she had exclaimed, breathing in and out dramatically as if it had been her on stage. Yes, she really could get into things that fascinated her, to a degree of obsession, an ironic contrast to her bouts of absentmindedness. Or perhaps they were both different expression of the same trait?

Of course, I had to admit that I, too, had been fully absorbed in the match. Part of me had been equally misgiving and commiserate for the abuse Dawn's Pokémon had to suffer throughout the match. Ako had been downright furious that Nord had actually been allowed to continue in this way but I could see the dilemma the judges faced. Clearly his actions were not Contest-worthy. Yet, throwing him out completely would just serve the point he was trying to make. And during the match the worst he did until the point of Dawn's comeback had been hard but just barely within allowable borders. The only thing they could have done was to declare Dawn's Pokémon incapable of continuing. And that hadn't been fair. Surely they were at least remotely aware of what lengths her Pokémon could and would go for her.

That had almost backfired though when Nord ordered his attack on an already defenseless Lopunny. Frankly I was glad that I was only watching on TV. Had I been there, I don't know what I would have done to the guy for pulling a stunt like that. I was fairly sure, had he gotten through with it, there would have been a disqualification. But he hadn't, Dawn had somehow, miraculously pulled things around. She really was becoming more and more like Ash in that regard.

I had been far more worried about her state of mind. I couldn't fathom what had affected her so much during the match, only that it had to be something serious, otherwise I doubted she would let it get in her way. Seeing her so utterly... helpless had hurt. Dawn had become as much a sort of little sister to me as I regarded Ash like a brother, more so than I had ever felt that way with Misty or May. Perhaps it was due to the fact that those two had been so much closer during their journey than Ash had been with the other girls. They fit naturally together. And so, seeing her in such distress had been the greater reason for concern, because her ability to win had never been up to debate at all.

These concerns had proven unnecessary after all and I was very happy for her. She had seemed rather tired when I called earlier to give my congratulations on her victory but that was to be expected. Whatever she had been fighting with during the match probably cost her a lot of effort. But she had been positively glowing. Happy, satisfied and a small part of her perhaps still in wonder. Not that I could blame her. The development her and Ash had gone through recently was nothing short of wondrous.

_I'll see them again soon_, I thought. I had not mentioned anything earlier, wanting to surprise them but I was quite certain Dawn wouldn't let a challenge like the one just announced go. True, I didn't know what her and Ash had been planning after her victory. Ash had put a hold on participations in official battles for Dawn over the last year and I was sure he was itching for some competition as well. Nonetheless, they would work out something that would benefit them both. They would be there. In fact, since the first qualification round for the new type of competition involved him, I was quite sure Ash had to be there.

The coincidence for Lance to suggest this assignment for us was somewhat suspicious though. To send us to the location of the first qualification round while Ash and Dawn were almost certain to be there, too... Well, the Elite had not spared on his reasons at least and freely admitted that the qualification round would fall into the League's projected timeframe for Team Rocket to be ready to make some kind of big move. It would be one of the more prominent possible targets. After all new events like this, broadcasted and announced to many viewers, were bound to draw a lot of attention from the public. League presence would be high during the event and I could certainly see where some capable Field Medics like us would be needed. Even if nothing happened, it was still a competition between Top Coordinators, the best of the crop. The fighting would be fierce and in turn the need for treatment would be equally high.

I could not quite shake off the feeling though that there was something more behind all of this.

Well, it wouldn't do me any good to chase after shadows I couldn't even be sure were there to begin with. In the end it was a job. My first official job since I came here. For Ako it wasn't all that different from when she had helped out in the Sinnoh League tournament, just with some more responsibility. Knowing that I would be there as well, had put her much more at ease than she would have been otherwise.

I caught Ako looking up briefly from her work, following her gaze to where Flareon and Leafeon were curled up against each other, comfortably relaxing. Yet another thing to be happy about. We had known Flareon was part of a greater litter. We weren't quite sure how many there were but Leafeon wasn't her only sibling. Knowing that Leafeon had been owned by a Team Rocket member had my suspicions go rather unpleasant ways. Perhaps there were more of them stuck with the criminal organization. I wasn't sure what I would do if we might come to face one of them in battle.

For the moment though they seemed comfortable to have found each other again and Leafeon was far more agreeable as long as her sister was around.

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**Seafom Islands, Kanto (Kenny)**

The party was a small event, really. In fact, a lot of Coordinators had already left earlier and from those left we barely knew anyone. Dawn got some customary congratulations from everyone, but only her first and second battle round opponents stayed to talk a bit longer. I got the impression Dawn didn't mind the small scale event, in fact she appeared like she was looking forward to finally excuse herself and sleep for a day or two.

"I have to admit, at first I thought it would just be an overblown media hype, but I was impressed how they pulled it off," I said, keeping up the casual conversation that we had about the nature of this Grand Festival. The location had provided a far "grander" feel than most other Grand Festivals I had been to or seen so far. And coming from Sinnoh that meant quite a lot. The whole setup had me somewhat suspicious about it all but in the end I think everyone got to see a great show.

"I know what you mean. But I guess it might have been a first test to expand on Contest popularity. It sounded like they had this new event planned for quite awhile." Dawn yawned slightly and blushed but Ash and I politely ignored it. The match had definitely taken a lot out of her.

Personally I felt bad about not believing in her ability to turn the match around as much as Ash did. There was never a moment of doubt with him, complete confidence. When I saw him trying to talk Dawn's Pokémon into "supporting" her, I thought the gesture touching but didn't believe it would work. Once again I had been proven wrong. The trust and bonds they shared between each other and their Pokémon were incredible and should really be an inspiration for everyone else. They definitely had been for me. Compared to that, I still had a long way to go and thanks to today I had a good idea where to start at least.

"Have you thought about whether or not to participate in this new thing?" I doubted she hadn't. After all it concerned Ash and I doubted she would leave it lying down to see someone else win and take her place. Well, perhaps not that extreme. Mr. Contesta had explained to Dawn some of the basics earlier and it seemed like the qualifications rounds really were just for one place and the other would be up to the Champion to chose. Still, Dawn was far too competitive not to go...

Dawn shook her head wearily. "Kenny, I'm far too tired to think further than taking a nap right now." She laughed lightly, not even embarrassed anymore to admit it. "But it definitely sounds interesting. I'm glad to see we are getting a bit more attention and credit this way. You have to admit the competition at the very top is not too numerous."

_For you maybe_, I thought dryly but didn't say it. Of course, there was truth to her statement. The gap between the mediocre and truly skilled Coordinators was large, much larger than during League Tournaments as much as I could safely judge that. And even between those of Top Coordinator material, the skill level highly differed. Sinnoh was already the most competitive place for us, yet even there I could not recall any pure Top Coordinator gaining some kind of influential position within the League other than Wallace.

"Well, you just beat a former League Champion in battle. That has to count for something," Ash grinned and Dawn smiled back. They really were made for each other. I was glad to have made my peace with Dawn though. Pursuing my feelings would have only ended up hurting them and definitely myself a lot.

I laughed loudly. "That's right. It's the kind of thing that will get people talking. I doubt you'll be just Ash Ketchum's girlfriend anymore after today." I reached over to pat her on the shoulder – all friendly of course. "Ash is right about this. What you did will do a lot for our reputation in the long run." Perhaps few people had known Nord's history but the paper's would be writing and the news reporters would be talking. People would know soon and that might just really be a big step towards putting Trainers and Coordinators on a more equal level of appreciation.

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**(Dawn)**

I felt a little bad about not being more attentive at my own victory party. Ash had endured it all even though he surely had been tired as well from the long battle with Leaf – much longer than my own. Of course, comparing both wasn't exactly easy or perhaps even possible. The circumstances had been vastly different.

During the last moments I had felt such a complete harmony, I thought I could have continued like this for hours. Reality had caught up with me as soon as the battle ended and I realized that I had actually won. The strength my comeback had cost me only added further to what the earlier struggle had cost me and everything added up together as soon as I had been able to drop my mental barriers. Not completely – if I had, I might have collapsed right there – but enough to actually feel the physical effect of my mental exhaustion.

By now I was sure everyone – at least everyone I knew – had picked up on the fact that I wanted nothing more than to sleep, so I had no problem actually joking about it. Ash looked worried but also relieved to a great degree. His support had been so vital in this victory and I would forever be grateful for what he had done today. And despite there never being a moment of doubt in what I had felt from him, I knew part of him was concerned during the match. I should know since I was in the same dilemma when he had been fighting Leaf.

Mom had been more expressive about her worries when I spoke to her earlier – funny how more of the personal important congratulations had been made over the phone. She had also been very proud of me and voiced that feeling strongly. I think that was at that point it had really sunken in that I had made it. I had won the Grand Festival and could now rightfully call myself a Top Coordinator, the goal I had dreamed about since I was small. That elation had me going until now.

"Alright!" Ash suddenly stood, startling both Kenny and I with the abruptness. "I guess I better go and make a statement regarding this new thing the League cooked up. Some reporters have been giving me looks the entire time and were probably just _polite_ enough not to bring it up here." Well, I thought, it helped that only a few selected had been allowed to attend, definitely no sensational press like the one Ash hated so much – not that I didn't.

But that wasn't the point here. I caught his wink before he turned and made his way over to a news team collecting statements from some of the competitors still present. _Thank you, Ash._ The silent message needed no verbalization and once more I felt very grateful. Once all this was over, I really had to do something nice for him. But for now...

I quickly said goodbye to Kenny, knowing he would probably want to move on soon after his loss here today and while the media and almost everyone else was focusing on Ash, slipped out of the reception hall and quietly made my way out of the building, back to the hotel for a much deserved rest.

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**(Ash)**

Interestingly enough, it wasn't much later that I could manage to follow Dawn. Once everyone had realized the star of the party was gone, the small gathering had dispersed quickly. I had actually tried to get a hold of someone significant from the League but couldn't find anyone other than some low-ranked officials.

That somewhat worried me. I knew for a fact that Lorelei from the Elite 4 had been present and I wouldn't have been surprised if one of the Region Champions hadn't been present as well somewhere. They had put a big effort into the presentation of this Grand Festival and so I was a little mystified why there hadn't been a greater presence for the public. The official I had talked to didn't know anything but admitted that Lorelei had been there but got called away at the beginning of the final rounds on some sort of urgent business.

I sighed and pushed the thoughts away, locking them down in some deep corner of my mind. There was no point in worrying about it. They would have informed me if they needed help with whatever had been so "urgent". This was Dawn's big day and it would be unfair to her if I was distracted by things I could not change. Right now, I should be happy for her and we could celebrate a little more privately. The world problems could wait a day or two, right?

Tracking down someone who could at least give me a somewhat satisfying answer had taken some time though. That is why it was already late evening, the last rays of the sun just barely peeking over the ocean when I made my way back to the hotel. Expecting to find Dawn fast asleep, however, I knew I could take my time.

I had actually tried to see if I could find Nord again but he had disappeared as quickly as he had originally appeared in our lives and I didn't know whether or not the loss against Dawn had made a positive impression on him or just further fueled his resentment. After the match he seemed to be too shocked to fully process what had happened. In the end I couldn't care less. He didn't seem like the type to change his outlook on life so easily.

When I entered our apartment, I fully expected Dawn to be still fast asleep, thus making my way inside quietly. I needn't have bothered. Peeking into the bedroom, I found her sitting on the edge of the bed, looking out of the window. I knew that posture well and immediately frowned. She often was like that after one of her dreams now. They didn't affect her in an extreme way anymore but she would usually sit awhile in quiet contemplation, reflecting on what they meant. Couldn't she be left alone at least today? It was her special day after all.

However, as I quietly approached, I noted that it was somewhat different this time. Neither anxious nor concentrated, Dawn seemed more puzzled and... yes, a little... sad? Curious I sat down next to her and silently took her hand, our fingers interlacing without a word spoken. My concerns further melted, feeling no real tension in her grip. Maybe she just couldn't really sleep much? At least I could understand that. Mentally exhausted as she might have been, adrenaline had a way of keeping you up long after a trying battle, even if you desperately wanted to get to sleep.

Dawn sat in silence for a moment longer, before she spoke, her sudden voice startling me slightly, but not as much as her words did. "You never said anything about meeting a Mew."

I blinked, then realization set in and I suppressed the urge to flinch slightly, both at the sudden memory and the quiet admonishment in her voice. "You dreamt about that?" I knew she did. There was hardly any other way she could have known. Brock, Misty and I had promised not to talk about these events. Not just out of principle or because we swore it to Mewtwo but... those memories had a lot of emotions tied to them. Things I sometimes rather wished I could forget. But forgetting would be like running away and I had not wanted that.

"Only images, fragments, but enough to get the picture." Dawn paused, then squeezed my hand tightly. "You died." And that was clearly one of these things I sometimes wished I could forget. Honestly it had not been one of my brightest moments to run right between two powerful psychic blasts of two of the most powerful Pokémon known to us at this time. Of course, I would probably do the same again even now.

Still... the experience had had an impact on me. Not immediately – after all we had at first forgotten about it – but after our second encounter I had time to reflect on these events. Perhaps that had been when I began to take my training even more seriously, to try and act less childish. I didn't want to ever feel so helpless again.

"Want me to tell you about it?" I wouldn't have offered anyone. But Dawn deserved to know. In fact, she might be the only one whom I would talk to about this. She looked at me and I saw her brief concern and reassurance that I didn't have to force myself. That wasn't the problem though, not with her. It was still somewhat painful to remember that day, my first real confrontation with a Legendary, but I could deal with it much better now than some time ago.

And so I told her about everything that had led up to the meeting with Mewtwo, his clones and eventually Mew, including the second meeting and the farewell. Since then I had not heard from either of them. Yet, that actually reassured me in a strange way. Perhaps because that meant Team Rocket might really have forgotten about them and they could have the peaceful life they always wanted. Mewtwo definitely deserved it... even if I really had no idea what Mew actually wanted other than to help out her unexpected clone.

Dawn quietly listened, only asking a question here and there for clarification. I could see she was still very tired. I doubted she had been asleep for more than an hour or two of the three and a half since she had slipped away from the party. Because of that I didn't really press her about the dream either. It really seemed to have been more a fragmented memory. With the only exception that she hadn't been there to begin with!

"Think you can sleep some more now?" I asked in the end and Dawn nodded, her posture relaxed but she was still somewhat puzzled. I could guess why. So far her dreams seemed to be premonitions of some sort. Always set into something that appeared to be the future. I couldn't recall her ever having seen some kind of past event. What did that mean? I couldn't fathom an answer and that had me worried in turn even as Dawn slowly drifted back to sleep.

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**(Dawn)**

I didn't dream again. At least not in the usual way. Not quite the normal way either. There was darkness all around me as I moved through deep foliage, using the small stretch of wooden area as cover. It was getting more and more exhausting. My strength was fading and I knew I couldn't keep this up for much longer.

*Help... me...*

Huh? The voice caused me to separate my thoughts from whoever it was I was dreaming about. It wasn't exactly a conscious state but I was more aware that from whoever's eyes I was watching, they weren't my own. As I became aware of that, the scenery began to change more rapidly. Flickers of scenes, glimpses of battles against creatures that looked like Pokémon but were something else. Something that caused a deep revulsion in my dream self. The images were too fast to make out much about them or really analyze the creatures.

*My strength...*

A sense of urgency build up inside me and it wasn't my dream self. This was something deeper. Something that seemed to touch me – the real me – from outside. Perhaps... no, probably from whomever's view I was somehow sharing. This was entirely new for me. Premonitions I had learned to deal with somewhat. But this wasn't the same and it wasn't someone else's fragmented memories of the past either. It felt far more real and...

*... is fading.*

...imminent.

*Help...*

With a start I jerked awake, sitting up so abruptly, Ash was startled awake as well, almost falling out of the bed at my abrupt movement. For several long seconds I was utterly disorientated, heart racing and pounding, my breathing harsh and my body covered in sweat. _Calm. Find your center_, I repeated in my mind. It took me a lot more effort than usual to focus on my mental abilities and do just that.

When I finally managed, Ash was sitting beside me worried, uncertain how he should act. "Dawn? Are you okay?" he asked and I wasn't really sure how to answer that. The initial effects had passed and I actually did feel fine, much more rested than earlier in the day. I couldn't really recall what it was that had awakened me. I had dreamt something. But not the usual. What exactly, that I couldn't really say. However, the sense of urgency hadn't passed. That was the one thing I could clearly remember from the dream.

"I'm not sure but... something's wrong." Shaking off his concerned hand on my shoulder, I got up from the bed and grabbed my street clothes. "Someone needs help. My help." I was absolutely certain about this. "I can't explain it but... I have to go." I slipped my shirt on and looked back at Ash, expecting some kind of argument. But he just looked at me for a long moment before wordlessly getting up to grab his own clothes. "Ash?"

In short time – travelling on the road taught you how to dress very quickly if necessary –, Ash was ready to go. "Not alone, you are not." It was a irrefutable statement and I knew I would have done and said the same if the situation were to be reversed. Pikachu had perked up at the activity as well and sensing the urgency in the air, merely jumped over to stand besides Ash, alert and ready. "Do you know where?" He grabbed the rest of his Pokéballs and was already moving for the door.

"I think so." I did the same, regretting that I had no time to change my lineup, wishing for once I had a similar way to do so as Ash did. Piplup and Lopunny were at the Pokémon Center recovering from all the damage they had suffered in the final. Espeon and Togekiss were probably rested by now but probably not in absolute top form.

There was no time for detours though. The feeling of urgency was getting stronger. Now that I had more time to assert some control, I was beginning to pinpoint the source and direction. Part of me marveled how much more sensitive my abilities had gotten – no doubt an effect of what happened during the final – but I couldn't really pay too much attention to it right now.

The night air on the islands was still rather agreeable. Not quite warm but an actual refreshing cool. As the urgency grew, so did my ability to follow the mental call. It had been there before, I realized. At several points during the day I had felt something try to get past my barriers, something different from the influence of Nord's Dark types. It had been faint and I hadn't been in a position to allow myself any kind of distraction. The feeling had gone away after awhile and I quickly forgot about it. However, now I realized whoever was calling out to me had been trying to do so all day.

We had been running for nearly twenty minutes when we encountered the first one. We had made it all the way to the adjourning island, close to the small mountain range and the wooded area at its edge. It was still all palm trees, of course, but they were thicker here, almost like a very small jungle. Enough to provide a dense cover from the moonlight. There was a human body flung against the base of one of the trees. A human body wearing a haunting black uniform with a big red "R" emblazed on the front.

Team Rocket.

"We are close," I murmured, an unexplainable feeling of dread gripping my heart from deep within me. Not just urgency anymore, more like mounting desperation. Time was running out. Time for what I did not know but that didn't matter. The presence of Team Rocket was enough reason to suspect the worst. Calling out Espeon to help me out, we managed to pinpoint the exact direction we had to go very quickly.

I was just not quite prepared for what we would find...

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**Lake Valor, Sinnoh (May)**

"What are you doing up at this hour?"

I almost jumped forward which wouldn't have been pleasant at all considering I was on the balcony of my suite, several stories up high. Heart hammering from the shock, I gripped the railing a bit tighter just to be sure, throwing a glare towards Naru trotting on the balcony, sleepy but curious.

I suppose I couldn't fault her or stay angry at the scare. As far away as my mind had seemed just a moment ago, anyone could have snuck up on me, scaring me half to death. And for the life of me, I couldn't even figure out why. Naru merely snorted in disbelief at the standard "Couldn't sleep" reply for these situations. I wasn't sure I would have bought it either... probably not.

"I can't explain it. I just woke up suddenly and felt like..." It was hard to put into words. Especially if I couldn't even vaguely comprehend the kind of feeling that I was still experiencing. Very distantly I could compare it with the kind of feeling I would get before an important event, yet it was also rather different from the usual mix of anticipation and giddiness before a Grand Festival.

Realizing Naru was still waiting for me to finish my answer, head cocked and actually appearing somewhat... worried? Perhaps she was really starting to open up more. "Like something is happening somewhere," I finished lamely, finding no other wording that was at least somewhere close. "Something important. To someone important." There was a heaviness in my heart that seemed to pull on my very soul. Like there was some kind of danger to someone I loved but I had no idea who... or what. Only that it was big and important, like... "The beginning of destiny."

I started at my own words. They had just slipped out without even thinking about them before... or better without thinking of them at all. It sounded alien, like some other person had said them and I couldn't explain at all why.

Naru made another snort and shook her head. "I'm not sure I believe in destiny. If there is something like this, I think it's a rather cruel thing." Not correcting her or trying to explain that I didn't know why I even had said what I did, I sat down in one of the chairs. The feeling hadn't gone away and surely I wouldn't be able to get to sleep just yet.

My hand unconsciously clenched over my heart as I gazed up into the night sky at the bright moon. It had no answers for me and so the mystery remained. I wasn't sure I had much of an opinion on the ideas of fate or destiny either. Never really thought about it. "But you are here now," I eventually replied, partly in a need to get myself distracted from the tingling in my whole body, the intense sensation of some kind of monumental event taking place... and the even more unexplainable thought that I should be there. "I think that as long as you are still alive, there is still hope to make your own path. Destiny or not."

Naru hoped up on the small table, strangely contemplative, not outright refusing. "Perhaps. I simply don't like to think what happened to me and my sisters was meant to happen, that no matter what it was predestined to happen." Despite the distraction, I felt my heart reaching out in compassion for the Eevee and wordlessly lifted her up and into my lap. Naru didn't struggle and relaxed into the touch of my fingers through her fur.

No one was supposed to go through what she had done. Unfortunately there would always be people that would try to take advantage of others, be it other humans or Pokémon. If it wasn't criminals like Team Rocket, someone else would. Sad as it was, I didn't think you could rot out evil completely. Not as long as human emotions were around. Generally a good thing, there was also always the other side. The greed, the jealousy, the hate. If there was some destiny in that, I didn't like to think about it either.

"Does it really matter? You can't change the past but you can affect the present and with that the future. I'm sure your other sisters are out there somewhere. But if you just give up on searching for them, then I'd like to think that it doesn't matter if it is in your destiny or not. You probably won't ever meet again like this." I was aware of how ironic that logic was. Had I not been dwelling on my past shortcomings both romantically and in my ambitions just before the Grand Festival? However, Naru had helped me out in a similar way and now I felt it was my turn. Not that I really thought it was necessary.

"You don't need to tell me that," she confirmed just a short while later, taking her time in answering, though I had the suspicion that was more from my petting than needing to think about it. "Besides we have a deal, right? Wouldn't be much good if I skipped out of it before you could fulfill your end."

I chuckled at the tone, more like the Naru I had gotten to know. A bit nonchalant, grumpy and generally implying she didn't really care either way. But I knew she did. Her actions the last days had clearly confirmed she was warming up to me. And I cared, too. "It's not a deal. It's a promise. Helping you out is not some sort of obligation, you know?" My thoughts briefly reflected on the start of our conversation. "I think if there is some kind of destiny in the world, I would say, us meeting was a part of it."

Brown eyes with that unnatural green tint in them looked up at me and for a moment I could see a flash of emotion. Surprise and... gratefulness. I smiled down at her and she hesitantly returned it.

The feelings that had awoken me hadn't gone away but I felt a little more relaxed. Nothing more was said for a long time as we sat on the balcony, Naru comfortably curled in my lap, keeping me company as I waited for this strange event, whatever it may be, to pass.

Somehow I knew I would get an answer far sooner than I would like.

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**Seafom Islands, Kanto (Ash)**

I never questioned Dawn's sudden impulse. Frankly I understood very little about all this psychic stuff but if it was anything similar to the bonds I shared with Pikachu and my other Pokémon, I knew not to take it lightly. What I did know was that I trusted Dawn and for her to get so worked up was uncharacteristic, especially in light of the day's tiring events.

Any argument was therefore withheld once I saw how serious and determined she was. There wouldn't be any stopping her when she was like this, regardless of whether or not I was worried about her state of health. She looked fine now but I didn't believe she was quite recovered yet. I wouldn't have backed down though either, if I was the one to be that determined, and so arguing would merely serve to delay the inevitable and might eventually lead to regret that I prevented swifter action to... do whatever Dawn felt we were supposed to do.

Besides, I never was the type to think about these kind of things too long. Or at all. Granted, I thought myself a bit more cautious than to say... do something as stupid as jump between two Legendary, super-powerful Pokémon. Not right away at least. Dawn's presence had mellowed me out, especially after admitting our feelings for the other. It WAS different when you had someone to care for so deeply, knowing your actions would always affect the other, too. That made you think at least twice about doing something dangerous and in turn would make you concerned for the other where you would normally go along with your impulses readily.

In the end we were too much alike in our willingness to help others in need to cause an argument over it. I would do the same in Dawn's place.

And so we found ourselves running through the night. It was one of these times the special training we did WITH our Pokémon showed its effects outside of battles or Contests, mainly showed itself within us. Considering the kind of speed and distance covered, I knew that before our training we would have been utterly exhausted by the point we found the first signs of conflict. Instead I wasn't even sweating. Dawn was just a little winded but I think that was more due to her already tired condition.

Seeing the Team Rocket member here brought back all these mounting concerns and suspicions that had built up over the last months. Leaf's ominous warning to Dawn, her dreams, the increasing activity of the crime organization. I had managed to forget all about it for the duration of the Grand Festival. Now it was all coming back though, coming back hard.

But what were they doing here? The Grand Festival itself couldn't have been their target. There had been nothing to indicate something was sabotaged or happened in any other suspicious way. And since it was over with now, I had no idea what they were after here. A connection with the event was rather unlikely.

This part of the island was hard to navigate. The thick foliage the trees provided here almost completely blocked out the moonlight and if it wasn't for Espeon making the jewel on her forehead glow, it would have been rather dangerous to keep moving at a faster speed.

There were more Rockets along the way, most of them unconscious, some... I wasn't quite sure and we didn't stop to find out. Among those sites were also small patches of what appeared to be ash or some other melted material, almost unnoticed in the darkness. Dawn and I had exchanged a look and decided that we really didn't want to know what they meant right now.

I felt the anxiety rising within me and nervously fingered my Pokéballs, glad I had most of my strongest along. Somehow I just knew I would need them. Even I could feel it now. Not on any conscious level but there definitely was something urgent in the air and... something familiar. Whatever it was, I knew I would regret it if we were too late.

At some point, both Espeon AND Pikachu perked up and dashed in a specific direction. Through our bond I could feel how Pikachu was sensing the immediate danger and the desperation of potentially arriving too late. But there was something else too. The same kind of... familiarity I had felt as well.

Just as the urgency became a suffocating dread, as if some great darkness was swallowing all the light left – and don't ask me why I came up with this ironically apt analogy at this point –, the trees parted into a clearing. It took me a moment to adjust my vision at the sudden light of the fairly bright moon tonight. But when I did, I skidded to halt in a shock.

I wasn't entirely sure how to classify what I saw. It vaguely looked like a Pokémon. A Rhyperior going by general appearance. But that was there the resemblance ended. Rhyperior weren't THIS big. Easily four meters in height and seeming even more massive than Rhydon's evolution usually were. Granted I had only seen a few so far and in fact didn't have the opportunity to fight one yet, but I was quite sure this was anything but normal.

It's rock skin was not the usual dark grey but a deep black with some of the plates glowing in an eerie, ghostly purple. What really sent a chill down my spine were the eyes though. The look in them was one I could only vaguely associated with a Pokémon in Rage status. But this was more potent and it didn't seem to be just an application of a move either. The message behind that kind of look was as clear as I had trouble comprehending the sheer single-mindedness behind it.

All that, however, was only a fleeting analysis, lasting as long until my gaze fell on the obvious target of the Rhyperior's destructive intent. Even from the distance I recognized it instantly. Especially after relieving some of those memories only hours ago. And because of that, Dawn would do the same. The small white-pinkish form crumbled beneath the Rhyperior was none other than the Legendary Pokémon Mew.

"Oh god..." Dawn whispered harshly, snapping me out of my own shock and realizing I had almost hesitated too long. Rhyperior was just about ready to strike at Mew who was clearly in no shape to defend itself anymore.

Once again, despite my earlier thoughts, it was one of these moments where I could do nothing but act on impulse. I had no other choice either. There was no question about the possible danger. All I saw was a Pokémon in mortal danger and there was only one course left to take.

Pikachu was already ten steps ahead before I sprinted after him. "Pikachu, Thunder, full power!"

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**(Narrator)**

"It would seem our heroes are not given a break today. After a long and difficult struggle. Dawn has reached her goal and won the Kanto Grand Festival. But the day has not even fully ended and it seems her and Ash are pulled right into the events that had so far been going on unnoticed by them. Will they be able to save Mew and what significance does this meeting have for them. I believe the answers are not too far away this time."

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**Maia's Prophecy**

**Maia: I se...**

**Mystic Mew: Stop! I cleared this up and you had no right to go over my head without informing me! As of now this segment is... *stops when Maia hands him a document* What's this? Liberal Muse Association Rulebook?**

**Maia: Article 7b.**

**MysticMew flips through the pages and scans over the article in question.**

**MysticMew: The hell? "Every Muse has the unquestionable right to make their own segment where she can do everything she wants as long as it is outside the boundaries of the actual story. A permission by the author is not required."?!**

**Maia: *smugly* It is customary for us to do one simply to annoy the author.**

**MysticMew: This... I... That's... Argh! *screams in frustration* I give up, do what you want. *stalks off***

**Maia: *giggles* I see, I see, I see in the future... I see... hmm that's interesting. I see a history lesson. I see the beginning of a new adventure. I see... revelations... Nah, that would be telling too much.**

**MysticMew: *pops back in* Wait, that's it?**

**Maia: Do you WANT me to tell the entire essential plot of the next episode here?**

**MysticMew: *sweatdrops***

**Maia: Next time on TFSTTM Reloaded: Mew's Revelation! The Shocking History of the Pokémon World! Be there. Read. Enjoy! And... I don't care what he says but I will get quite upset if you don't feed me!**

**MysticMew: *gloomy* For all of our sanities, please do...**

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**Author's Notes**

Minor cliffy, hehe. I need to have my indulgence.

Now with the Grand Festival over we are moving to the actual "plot" of this story. Yes, there is a plot, even if I still have not ironed out all the smaller details. ^_^

Explanations, right. In order. First of all concerning Dawn's battle with Nord and in extension those that came before it. I had a bit of a discussion with Twilight on this already, so I might as well put my reasoning in here as well. This is mostly an excerpt from me addressing Twilight's concern that the eventual end of the Dawn VS Nord battle happened to fast and easy considering Nord is supposed to be a former League Champion. Feel free to skip the next paragraphs, if you don't want to read all this but don't come asking about it and expecting replies if you haven't read my reasonings. For the record I am not satisfied with how "easily" Dawn won in the end but it was still better than her just rushing through it which WAS the original plan for the start of this arc.

Begin longwinded explanation excerpt now...

The fact that the end of Dawn's match was like this, had for once little to do with the fact that she is simply "stronger". Under normal circumstances, in an open match, Dawn and Nord would have been a lot more evenly matched. Dawn would still have won for several reason but it would have been a lot closer of an conclusion. In this match though, it all came down to momentum. Nord was assured of victory, he had the match under control, practically won already, he did not expect a comeback and definitely not such a big one. It took him by surprise and still stuck somewhat in the mindset that he had the upper hand against an opponent that was unable to really focus.

I think a nice comparison here would be the first soccer match for the Bundesliga relegation. Düsseldorf started well but Berlin shot the 1:0 and had the game under control. But then, in the second half, at a point where no one really thought anything major could be happening, it was the solo action of one player from Düsseldorf that enabled the 1:1 and from that point the entire momentum shifted, Berlin crumbled, scored an own goal and suddenly it was 1:2 in their own stadium which put them in a really bad position for the second game...

My point here is, Nord was caught in a mindset that left him unable to respond properly, otherwise he might have been able to salvage the situation, considering how little time remained. This kind of thing actually happens in any kind of competition. One little action can shift an entire match around, regardless how dominant one side was up to this point.

Also if you say Champion material, you have to also keep in mind that while, yes, Nord is a former Champion, you should consider that every tournament is different when it comes to competition. Dawn has trained on Ash's level who faced and won against an opponent of Master material.

Of course, the main problem lay in the simple matter that I had originally planned to gloss over the Grand Festival, kind of like a fade-in for the final and Dawn's victory kind of thing instead of devoting one and a half episode for it. Building up a sufficient opposition for Dawn would have required an entire arc, like for Ash, at least several more episodes with sufficient buildup. That was never in the main plot plan and thus Nord was born. The way I made him, he and Dawn couldn't really have a proper Contest battle, thus my blatant "borrowing" and mutation of the Dark Pokemon affect psychics/empaths thing from Empathic Adventures (again credit to the author). I know it all seems kind of weak for a plot device but it was the best I could come up with to give Dawn at least a moderate challenge without turning the whole thing into a several episode long marathon.

End long-winded explanation excerpt. ^_^

On a completely different note. I tend to be a strong believer in balancing out scene time for the characters equally (in proportion to their relevance for the story/chapter). I realize Dawn got a little more than usual and kind of walked all over that principle. I tried but the fight scene just got so damn long and the way I wrote it, I couldn't POV switch for any of it. I debated putting the first scene into the last episode but that just didn't work for me for various reasons. So, sorry for overdoing Dawn a little, but then again this was her time to shine, so I guess it's okay. Forget my senseless rambling, I just don't like things being out of order like that.

Sorry to everyone who thought there would be more battle action in the cave. Never planned on it. To be fair, since this involvement was not planned, I had to limit direct battle with TR's new "toys". There'll be the obvious at the start of next episode, in conclusion to the events in the cave but don't expect to see them a lot yet until the final stretch of the arc.

I hope everyone liked this story. The end of this chapter and beginning of the next were a big part of the initial idea – you know this scene idea that pops in your head and starts everything – so I hope I'm doing them well. Again, I realize the final battle of the Grand Festival might not be exactly what everyone would have liked – including myself – but the best I could come up with in the limited time I had planned for this and already expanded on for the sake of giving Dawn's own goals at least a decent conclusion for now before going further into the main plot. There is still the cross-regional event to take place towards the end of the arc and with May rearing up to prove herself, it's bound to be far more interesting.

I think what both Dawn and May's – comparable – easy victories showed was also a dose of reality. You don't always get exciting, heart-pumping, close-call battles with special rivals in the final round. Sometimes it is actually easy, sometimes it seems more like a chore, but there's the need for professionalism in there as well.

I'm not quite sure when I'll be done with the next bit. I have been taking a few days off after finishing those two mammoth chapters and have just started with Episode 3. But the scene order is set, so I just have to write it out. The chapters are definitely going to be a bit longer now. I think these two are a good example of the general length you should expect now that everyone is getting involved and I have to juggle more main characters somewhat equally. The next three to four episodes will focus a bit more on each group with the others on the side. After that we are already getting close to a finish, the new Contest type and the dramatic conclusion I have planned in the end. *cackles evilly*

So, be sure to give us lots of feedback. If you don't feed her *glares at muse*, she's only going to go more crazy.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	17. 0203a: Mew's Revelation!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 3

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

Okay, first of all, thank you for those that did review. Still not quite happy about the favorite/story alerts to review ratio but I guess I have to live with assuming getting an alert added means as much as a short positive review. What I am really wondering about is where all of you are that have been reviewing a lot during the first part.

Next NeoWolfX: I already answered your review but forgot to address one thing you said. I wasn't afraid that I unintentionally slipped in a "Siegfried" instead of "Lance" in there. I'll fix that at some point (I just don't feel like going through the site induced necessity of reformatting every chapter several times for just one tiny typo). Thanks for catching that because it was not intended. After all if I were to be mixing name versions, I would have never made that poll awhile ago. And mixing really isn't my style anyway. It's either one or the other. If there was a Siegfried in there, it was mostly a mistake on my part... perhaps because I like that name more. ^_^ I mean what kind of lame name is "Lance"? *cough*

This episode begins where the last left off, finally concluding the events off the last day of the Grand Festival. There will be some revelations but I didn't want to just expose everything at once. I'll let that slowly filter in until the end of the arc, or that's the plan as well. For all intents and purpose, this is mostly an aftermath chapter.

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**(Narrator)**

"Last time Dawn has managed to overcome her unexpected hard challenge in the final of the Grand Festival and finally achieved her dream of becoming Top Coordinator. However, she and Ash were not allowed any rest as the events from Cerulean Cave caught up with them before the day was even fully over."

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**Seafom Islands, Kanto (Ash)**

A booming thunderclap accompanied the vast lightning strike, slamming into Rhyperior just as it was bearing down on Mew. The massive behemoth stopped and slowly turned its raged-filled gaze in our direction and I found myself thoroughly baffled.

The Thunder had had no effect at all.

Part Ground type or not and even with a Limit Break, once Pikachu had achieved his own, there should have been at least some noticeable effect! There weren't many Pokémon these days that could stand up to and take the full brunt of one of Pikachu's Thunders and act like it hadn't even tickled them.

Something was clearly not right here.

At least the action had distracted the Rhyperior, its rage-filled eyes now focusing on Pikachu. My partner didn't hesitate to follow up with an Iron Tail smashing into the creature – I couldn't quite get myself to think about it as a Pokémon – with a force that could easily shatter boulders of the same composition as a normal fully-evolved Rock type could call their own.

Rhyperior staggered this time, pushed back by the sheer force. Cracks began to open where the attack struck but it didn't seem to really slow it down at all. I had to stop and brace myself to stay on my feet when Rhyperior's fist slammed into the ground. Pikachu had easily evaded the mindless but extremely powerful strike.

Whatever this thing was, it was clearly very powerful. The kind of power I didn't feel too keen about finding out its full potential. Of course, its speed was not up to par. Pikachu had no problem anticipating and evading the attacks, more bothered by the backlash the sheer force of the attacks generated when they impacted with the ground or even the very air.

"Infernape, Torterra, Floatzel, go!" At any other point I might have been excited to face an opponent like this but right now Mew's safety had top priority. Besides, I really didn't like the feeling I was getting from that Rhyperior. "Triple Formation, Maneuver 3!"

With the ease born from long practice, my three Pokémon closed in on the opponent, even while Pikachu flipped away. Torterra fired off a vicious Razor Storm, totally engulfing Infernape as he rushed forward with Flare Blitz but then came in with a roundhouse kick that would have snapped a lesser being's head clear off, combining Blaze Kick with the raw impact power of Flare Blitz, all the while Torterra's razor-sharp leaves battering against Rhyperior's armor. Just as Infernape was past his opponent, Floatzel came shooting out of the sky, having picked up speed for a high velocity Spinning Ice Aqua Jet by diving from a high altitude.

This triple assault should have done in everything, probably even a Legendary... And indeed, the assault managed to throw Rhyperior backwards several feet. I suppose the sand buffered the fall a little but... it didn't take long for the behemoth to rise again, as if nothing happened.

No. Not as if nothing happened. The damage was clearly wrought. It should be in a lot of pain. All of these attacks were very effective against its dual type, even Infernape's variation was part Fighting type. The effect was there, too. But it seemed like Rhyperior was simply ignoring all the damage, as if not feeling it... or caring about it.

I narrowed my eyes, even as my Pokémon reformed to build a defensive line between Rhyperior and Mew. Dawn had used the opportunity to get to the Legendary and was checking it over. I did not need a confirmation to know that it looked bad. Brock would have been able to tell immediately but even without him I could tell that Mew needed real help... and soon.

My Pokémon had to abandon the next assault and scatter when Rhyperior stomped on the ground, creating an Earthquake that despite the buffering sand actually managed to shake the ground a good deal. Quickly I released Charizard as well and had him take to the air immediately, occupying Rhyperior with powerful Flamethrowers. Really, it was like beating up some kind of robot that would always get up again despite the damage inflicted.

Again I chanced a worried glance towards Dawn and Mew. We had both taken a lot of Brock's lessons to heart and practiced as much as we could but neither of us was a professional when it came to treating injuries. It seemed Mew was barely conscious again at this point and saying something to Dawn, but I couldn't hear it from where I was.

There was no need to. "Ash, Mew says this thing is not really a Pokémon anymore. Something has been done to do it and it cannot be reversed. It... it doesn't even have a soul anymore." I heard and emphasized with the sadness in her voice, a simmering anger slowly burning brighter within myself. Team Rocket. This had to be their doing. They had tried controlling Pokémon in similar ways before but this was a new low.

I had no time to get all the details. All I could do was trust Mew's judgment that this creature was not something that should be allowed to... live. The thought had me shudder and I almost froze up at the thought of what I knew I had to do. The Rhyperior-lookalike had already proven that it would not stop, regardless of any damage, before achieving its goal.

"Pikachu, release limiter." After the final, we had modified the limiter to have it merely – or at least by default – applied to the upper portion of Pikachu's elemental power. Even after all the training, Pikachu couldn't handle it for longer than an hour while fighting tops. The output was simply too draining. "Charizard, Infernape! Flare Tornado, trap it!" The two Fire types quickly spun dual Fire Spins combining together around Rhyperior. "Pikachu, begin sequence... don't hold back."

I clenched my hands so tightly, it hurt but I refused to look away. This thing might look like a Pokémon, most certainly it had been at some point. But not anymore. I could not allow myself to show remorse for what was little more than a shell apparently or Mew, Dawn and everyone else would pay the price.

Rhyperior had already burst through the super-heated flames, even its tough rock body covered in severe burns, yet it was still going and even tried to break through the dome. That finally proved too much, the incredible voltage Pikachu could generate making it roar out in pain, body freezing up.

I backed up towards where Dawn had picked up Mew, cradling the Legendary in her arms. We had never done this against a living target at full power. Heck, even against anything else we had barely done this at full power, the destructive power too vast. In a detached sort of thought I wondered how the authorities would later explain the crater...

"Thor's Hammer!"

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**Opening Theme (Shining Days, Mai-HiME)**

A blue, cloudless sky. Mew flies into the picture and performs a few twists, turns and loopings, writing the series title into the air. The camera zooms in on Mew's face and it looks like the viewer is drawn in.

_aozora ippai ni_

_watashitachi no omoi ga chiribamerarete yuku_

Ash and Dawn are standing together on a hill, holding hands. Dawn leans closer and Ash embraces her. They lean in for a kiss.

_unmei no hito ga anata nara iinoni_

_genjitsu wa umaku yukanai_

The scene fades out from a television frame. May is sitting in front, watching with longing. Naru jumps into her lap and she smiles in determination, jumping up as the scene fades around her.

_hikaru kaze no naka_

_yume no hane maioriru yo_

Misty is swimming in a pool. She stops to float on her back, then submerges into the water. In the reflection she sees Leaf and reaches out uncertainly with conflicted feelings on her face.

_yuuki dashite mirai e_

_sou utsukushiku..._

Misty breaks the surface of the water with a leap, suddenly at a beach. Leaf is sitting on the shore and waving at her.

May is running towards a faraway image of Ash and Dawn with a smile of determination.

_ugokidasu atsui kodou ga_

Ash and Pikachu are running over a plain, jumping over hurdles and Pikachu letting loose lightning attacks.

_ano hi to onaji hayasa wo kizamu yo_

A split screen of Dawn and May. Piplup and Buneary are creating a giant ice stadium and Beautifly is dancing within a Ninetails flames (see Episode 1 for both). Dawn and May are looking towards each other as if they were in the same place.

A brief flash of Brock and Ako standing together with Flareon and Leafeon.

_massugu na manazashi ga suki_

_zutto miteitai_

Short image of Giovanni in his office with a dark disembodied form behind him.

Scene switches back to Ash, arriving at a hill. Looking up he smiles seeing Dawn, May, Brock, Ako, Leaf and Misty standing atop and waiting for him.

Camera shifts up into the sky and from where it fades out of Mew's eye again who flies down and into the prior scene, landing on top of Dawn's shoulders.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Episode 03: Mew's Revelation! The Shocking History of the Pokémon World!

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**(Dawn)**

The impact nearly threw me off my feet. In fact, if it wasn't for Ash's steadying hand, I would have been blown clear across the beach. I had always thought that this move was... badass – I cannot come up with something more appropriate – but Ash had never put more power into it than during his match with Leaf and when he did train, it was on his own. For safety sake.

Thus this was the first time I saw the result of a full power Thor's Hammer and I clearly understood why Ash never wanted to use it like this under any normal circumstances and quite a few abnormal ones. Whatever this Rhyperion had been... there was nothing left of it.

The other reason why Ash was so reluctant to employ this move became apparent when Pikachu crashed to the ground, sparks running over his body and utterly exhausted. I shouldn't be surprised. There was so much power in this one attack, it was like all of Pikachu's impressive elemental power had been unleashed at once.

Ash turned away from the sight after picking up Pikachu. I, too, wasn't sure what to feel right now. I wanted to reach out and comfort him but I was still holding Mew. One look down at the Legendary Pokémon told me, however, that Ash had done the right thing. No, perhaps not the right thing, but the necessary thing. Had he not ordered Pikachu to... kill – the word tasted bitter even as a thought – this beast, who knows how long this battle would have went or if we could have even won. I had felt it clearly even without Mew telling me, the utter... wrongness of this creature.

"How is Mew?" Ash was clearly repressing what he had done, focusing on more immediate things, but that was okay. We both knew there was no time to think about right or wrong now.

I shook my head slightly. "She's very weak. I think she spent all her power to fight them off, probably for hours already. I honestly have no idea what to do in this situation." Brock had taught us both some basics and I had actually let him teach me some more advanced first aid treatment methods, knowing he wouldn't always be there to help. But this was clearly beyond me. Furthermore I felt Mew's consciousness slipping away. I knew it was her who called me and thus I wasn't surprised how deep the connection was running.

Ash raised an eyebrow and I realized what I said. How was I so sure about the female bit? Legendaries were supposed to be genderless, right? Well, it didn't really matter right now. Ash thought the same as he quickly took out his Pokégear and checked on something. "It's not a good idea to go the regular Pokémon Center. Team Rocket could have more people out here." I personally disagreed since I didn't feel any further hostility but as sharpened as my powers had become since the battle earlier in the day, I was still a novice and I had to admit I was still rather tired.

"Ah, good, he's still on standby." A few clicks later, a Pokéball appeared in his hand and Sceptile was released from it. "Listen, this is the plan. I'll take Charizard and fly towards the Pokémon Center. If there are still pursuers left, this will get their attention. Sceptile, take Dawn back to the arena. There is a private medical facility inside, reserved for quick onsite treatment during the Festival and for specific personnel. Here, take this." With that he took out his provisionary badge and handed it to me. "Just in case you are running into trouble."

Despite the situation, I couldn't help the warm feeling in my heart. Ash really had grown. Not just during battle but also in many other aspects. He really did sound kind of cool just now. Then again, quick judgment and improvising under pressure had always been one of his strong points. Now he could employ these abilities in situation like this as well.

Oh sure, I was concerned for him essential offering to play decoy but what else could we do? Besides this was Ash we were talking about, late Sinnoh League Champion. He could take care of himself.

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Sceptile covered a lot of ground fast, jumping and running at high speed, not even bothered by carrying both myself and Mew. I occasionally gave some directions but it wasn't like one couldn't see the arena as soon as we got clear of the wooded area. I used the time to try and connect with Mew in order to lend her some of my strength and was surprised how well it actually worked.

The downside was that in my state this was very draining and when Sceptile set us down in front of the arena and a security officer came running to demand an explanation, I had trouble getting out the words. "Help... emergency... Team Rocket..." I fumbled for Ash's badge but it was thankfully unnecessary. The officer took one look at who I was carrying, gasped and immediately tried to take her from me. But that wasn't a good idea either. "No, have to... keep her stable. Take me to the... treatment room."

The officer debated a moment, then nodded. With one arm helping me along, he spoke quietly but urgently into his radio. I couldn't really make out what he was saying but I really did hope he was making sure to alert whoever was in charge of treatment and the rest of the security personnel. Ash's plan was good but not foolproof.

I could spare no further thought on the matter either. It was taking every bit of strength I could still muster to keep Mew from slipping away and I knew I wouldn't be able to do this much longer without threatening to kill myself in the process. Thankfully it didn't take long until we reached the medical facility...

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**Cerulean Cave, Kanto, a couple of hours earlier (Misty)**

Perhaps this had been a bad idea after all. In theory it had sounded good and truthfully it really was the only effective thing I could hope to do at this point, however, not quite the most sensible.

Adrenaline pumped through my veins and I could swear the hammering of my heart could be heard at the other end of the cave. _Perhaps it will serve for Leaf to find me_, I wondered amused. I considered myself fit. Even before Leaf had left me her notes, I had often trained alongside my Pokémon, perhaps not quite to the degree the young Master demanded of herself but even that I had gradually tuned up. Within reason since I still had Gym Leader duties and it wouldn't do to keel over from exhaustion during a match.

Right now all that came in handy as I dashed through another tunnel, three Team Rocket members hot on my tail along with most of their Pokémon. It had quickly become apparent that compared to what I was used to from bumbling idiots like Jessie and James, these ones were highly trained, their Pokémon strong – usually evolved – and they acted with far more professionalism and discipline than the normal grunt of a criminal organization was expected to.

_At least I managed to succeed in getting their attention_, I thought. The initial standoff had cost me dearly with Corsola taking a lot of damage and had to be recalled while I only managed to take out four of their Pokémon, mostly due to the surprise. Once that had worn off, they had quickly pressed their number advantage. And with both Gyarados and Wailmer too big to maneuver in the tunnels, I was already at a severe disadvantage.

I wished Zoroark had staid but he had split off to "deal with the biggest threat". That had to be one of these Pokémon like the Electrivire at the entrance. I didn't know what they were but I really didn't want to meet one like that again. The damage to Starmie from just one hit was extensive, even with all of his resistance training. Thankfully while we had been sneaking around, I was able to treat him and the use of Recover made my oldest Pokémon ready for action again.

Finally the tunnel parted and I sighed in relief when I found myself at one of the big parts their water was flowing. Quickly I released Gyarados and Wailmer and leaping right over my most ferocious Pokémon landed safely on an island across the water. "Gyarados, Hydro Pump. Wailmer, Water Spout!" Wailmer went first and shot a huge amount of water from his nose into the passage, just as my three pursuers emerged. They reacted quickly and had some of their Pokémon erect Protects or the like but that was when Gyarados Hydro Pump slammed right through them and took out the first wave, reducing them by six Pokémon total. Still eight to go.

Now more cautious, the three men split up to reduce the chances for another area attack and released their next two each. And the choices really weren't quite in my favor. There was a Scizor, Cacturne, Parasect, Dusclops, Absol and something I had never seen before but that my Pokédex identified quickly as a Galvantula, native to the Unova region. Not just an Electric type, which was bad enough, but did it have to be a b-b-bug?

Clamping down on the impulse, I tried to engage them in the best way my limited options allowed. I really, really needed more diverse types. The problem was that my Water Pokémon were by far the furthest along in their training and that had been the more important aspect when making my team choice before coming here.

Starmie was trying to square off with Scizor. Every matchup was somewhat bad for it considering its secondary type but none of the others could better match Scizor in speed and agility. Wailmer was having it out with Absol, Vaporeon with Dusclops and Kingdra being the only Pokémon that could somewhat more safely take electric attacks was attempting to nail the fast Galvantula with a couple of Ice Beams. Meanwhile Gyarados had to take on both Parasect and Cacturne by himself.

Right now my preference of Water types DID give me a huge advantage. Aside from Scizor and Dusclops none of their Pokémon could fight in or over the water while mine could all use the terrain to their advantage. The individual fights quickly became hit and dive dynamics on my Pokémon's part. There was little else I could do though. Managing five different Pokémon at once was not something I was used to at all.

I freely admitted I did not have Ash or Leaf's battlefield awareness and while I had trained multiple encounter battles lately I was far from being an expert at that. My Pokémon knew what to do though and so I could focus on one battle at a time, first assisting Gyarados in getting rid of his opponents, then slowly working myself through the others. That Garvantula proved to be extremely tenacious and was starting to wear even Kingdra's strong defenses down fast. Not to mention all those electric attacks constantly threatened to carry over to my other Pokémon.

It was a long ten, perhaps fifteen minutes of intense fighting until I had managed to single out the unfamiliar Pokémon. Vaporeon and eventually even Starmie had to be recalled because they were too exhausted to be of much use and Kingdra needed to apply Rest soon. But leaving Gyarados and Wailmer – especially the former – without protection from the electric attacks was a bad idea. Of course that was when the Rockets released their last two Pokémon and I grimaced.

The large Drapion was bad enough but the Luxray was really bad news. I knew immediately keeping the fight in the water would be a bad idea. Looking around, I saw that from where I was I could take another tunnel and since the Rockets were still on the other side, it would take them time to catch up. _Leaf would be very cross with me if I did something reckless. But they only have three left. Alright let's give this a try._

"Wailmer, jump out of the water!" It was testament to our training that Wailmer didn't question the order that could be considered somewhat suicidal. Jumping into the air, the massive Whale Pokémon hovered over our opponents. "Bulldoze!" And then he plummeted down with raw force, sending a shockwave over the ground. Drapion and Luxray jumped clear but Galvantula was caught off guard. "Kingdra, Ice Beam again!" Thrown into the air Galvantula was unable to evade this time and promptly encased in a block of ice. I was just about to recall both Kingdra and Wailmer and have Gyarados cover my retreat, when I realized I couldn't see Drapion anymore.

A moment later I realized why as it had somehow managed to cross the water and was now bearing down from directly above me, tail extended...

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**Seafoam Islands, Kanto, present time (Pikachu)**

In the end there was no further incident. No one bothered us on the flight and there wasn't any sign that we were being watched. That alone wouldn't have to mean anything but considering the signs of battle we had come across, I personally thought that it looked a lot like the entire team of Team Rocket agents had been solely focused on hunting and wearing down Mew. They couldn't have expected us to interfere and that made it less likely that there were still some of them hiding around.

After picking up Nurse Joy as well as Piplup and Lopunny from the center – Ash reasoned it would be safer that way –, we had quickly made our way back to the arena. By that time Officer Jenny and a small team of security officers were already setting out to secure the site where we had found Mew but we didn't pay them much attention, instead rushing over to the infirmary.

The on-site personnel had already been hard at work and Nurse Joy quickly offered her help. From the looks of it they seemed busy but not frantic, which I suppose was a good sign. Ash had busied himself with fussing over Dawn who we found out had been put to rest in another room after doing something with her powers to keep Mew alive. Honestly, that girl was getting as reckless as Ash at his worst.

Of course, I would have done the same if I could have. Mew was... special. Not just because of our meetings in the past but more like these meetings had made me realize just how special the Legendary was amongst and for all of us Pokémon. I could not explain the strong feeling I had about Mew but knew the unassuming Pokémon had a far bigger place in the natural order than we could even begin to comprehend. Perhaps we would be a little wiser when all this was over.

Not having much else to do and unable to rest as long as I didn't know for sure that Mew had made it through, I joined the rest of our friends patrolling the area around the arena as per Ash's orders. I honestly wasn't sure what good I would be if it actually came to a fight but at least I had something to focus on. Using Thor's Hammer at full power had been exhausting.

No, it wasn't the full power thing alone. At our training sessions I had become good at controlling the output and I could pull off a lower power version roughly with the same amount as I used against Shadow with only being somewhat winded afterwards. The fact remained though that this move consumed a large amount of my electricity since I basically released, reabsorbed and then channeled all the power for one big unleash. The more preparation went into it, the better. Against Leaf I had been doing a lot of attacks and the air was charged up already which made the buildup a lot easier and a lot less draining. If not for that, I would have collapsed from the strain even before Leaf had surrendered the match.

_I'm not going to do a full power version without any prepwork again soon_, I resolved with a weak chuckle. I was so drained, I doubted I could even produce a spark. Right now I felt weaker than before I had achieved my Limit Break and was quite sure it would take a few days to recharge.

It had never been a question of whether or not to go through with it at the time. Even if the situation had been less desperate, I had felt it even before entering the battle. The others had, too. This... thing wasn't natural. It had the shape and attributes of a Rhyperior but that was where the resemblance with a Pokémon ended. I was glad that Ash had not hesitated, even if I could tell he was trying not to let himself think about what he had done yet.

The flapping of wings drew my attention briefly and I saw Staraptor and Pidgeot circling overhead. I knew Infernape and Sceptile were perched around somewhere at high altitude. Their agility and jumping powers making it easiest for them to seek out higher observation spots.

I really was kind of dispensable, merely providing an extra set of eyes and perspective that I was sure the others could cover quite well on their own. And it seemed like I wasn't the only who wasn't in a state to contribute anything meaningful.

"Hey. Should you be up?" I asked without turning to look at Lopunny who had come up from behind. If not for my sharp senses, picking her out wouldn't have been a problem either. Her breathing was a little harsh still and her movements far more sloppy and noisy than was usual for her. Nothing that really concerned me at this point. Back in the arena I had been inches away from committing bloody murder after seeing what this Nord guy had his Pokémon do to her on stage. Only knowing that she was too stubborn to give up, wouldn't be happy about any interference and the knowledge that after the kind of endurance training we had been through she was tough enough to hold up, had held me back. I might not have the kind of feelings for her as she would like but that didn't mean I had been unfazed and indifferent to what happened.

"Not really. Looks like everything has been healing up nicely. Pi... Prinplup is actually a lot worse off." I noted the odd tone in her voice and was unsure how to interpret it. My respect for my friend had definitely risen a few notches after the stunt he pulled. I could tell how powerful that combination move had been and shielding Lopunny from it in his state was not exactly a small feat. Neither of us was a heavy defensive type and taking attacks head-on was not how we preferred to fight. What had been done to Lopunny might have looked worse, but Prinplup's effort certainly had been more draining. And I knew he had done most of the core work for the following combinations even after that.

Lopunny knew this, too, and I was fairly certain she had become aware of the other meaning behind his selfless effort. Aside from that, I was entirely unable to predict how she would take things. Out of everything she would say to me, though, I didn't quite expect the kind of insightful question that was eventual voiced after long moments of silence. "Is that why you never really gave in to me?"

I tended to forget that while her pursuit had been relentless and stubborn, she was actually quite clever. There was no need to really elaborate on what exactly she referred to and I realized she knew exactly what Prinplup's actions meant. The only question remained what Lopunny herself would make out of this. I knew she still wanted me. And she wouldn't give up on it until I made a clear commitment either way. And that, I think, was what she was really asking for.

_Time for the truth, huh?_

"I don't think we'll work out," I said eventually. At any other time I probably would have danced around the truth again, not wanting to hurt her. But after my conversation with Piplup yesterday and the events now, I couldn't do that. Tired and my mind steadily drifting back to the Legendary Pokémon being treated inside, I had little tolerance for mincing my words. And the truth really needed to be told anyway. "I tried but... I don't think I can give you what you want. If I could, I think I would know by now."

Lopunny was silent for a long moment. Just as I thought she wouldn't say anything at all and felt the need to do something, worried that I might really have been too blunt, she heaved a heavy sigh. "I know. I think I knew for awhile." There was sadness in her voice that made me wince internally, but also a sort of resignation that didn't feel like it had just appeared. She turned back to me and gave me a weak smile that relieved me a great deal. The last thing I wanted was to have bad blood between us. "Thanks for being honest."

I chuckled nervously and scratched with one paw behind my ear. "It's okay. Still friends?"

Her smile became a little brighter. "Sure."

Neither of us spoke about what she would do about Prinplup's feelings. One step at a time.

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**Cerulean Cave (Leaf)**

"Where the hell have you been?!"

I admit, upon later reflection, the thoroughly chastened look on their faces had been rather funny. Enough so to make a picture. Of course, at this time I hardly cared about that, doing my best to turn the two Elites into a pile of ash with my glare alone.

Personally I never thought of myself as a person that would lose their cool easily, resulting into strong outbursts of irrationality. The events today would have tried many more hardened soldiers, I was sure. As such I believe I had to be excused for my outburst at Elite Four members Koga and Bruno arriving just after Misty and I had gotten out of the cave. My mood had been rapidly declining with everything that had gone wrong with this mission. Until it had boiled over completely when I found Misty after sprinting through the cave with such speed and desperation that the local Pokémon had all made sure to get out of my way.

**Begin Flashback**

_God damn it. You idiot, I told you not to take risks like that!_

My heart pounded heavily and that wasn't from the exhausting sprint through the damp tunnel system. Overwhelming worry for Misty's welfare had begun to dominate almost every other thought process. I should have never let her go in here alone. What kind of Master was I to put someone untrained up against an entire squad of well-coordinated, disciplined criminals? What kind of friend was I to do that? What kind of... No, I didn't have the right to even think that word and would never forgive myself for losing her here and now!

"Up ahead!" Unsure of whether running into Zoroark halfway was a blessing or only further cause for concern – since that meant one less powerful Pokémon to keep Misty safe –, I nonetheless welcomed his presence greatly. It might have taken me much longer to pin down Misty's exact position if not for him, and I could at least logically – as much as was left in my mind for logic at this moment – understand why Zoroark had split up with Misty to take on one of these special Pokémon like the Electivire that had been with Domino.

Still, of all the foolish things to do...

The thought was quickly blown away when I emerged into an open section with water. Years of battle training had me take in the situation in a heartbeat, A heartbeat that was so loud I swear Zorua must have heard it on the other end of the cave where he was waiting at one of the hidden rear entrances in case Mew would have come that way.

_Misty!_

"Night Daze!" Zoroark was already three steps ahead and unleashed the powerful shockwave of dark energy at Drapion. Despite being the same type, Zoroark's power was far stronger and the Drapion was caught completely unaware, blindsided just as much as Misty obviously had been. With a cry of pain Drapion was sent right into the middle of where Luxray was just about to let lose a mighty Electric attack at its opponents.

Snarling, I threw Berserker's Pokéball with all my might towards the opposite side. The large Pokémon needed little instructions as to what to do. And seeing Gyarados with enough sense to heave Wailmer out of the way and back into the water, there was only the dazed Drapion and Luxray to take the full brunt of a shattering Earthquake.

I wasn't quite finished yet as my boiling rage focused on the suddenly powerless Team Rocket members.

**End Flashback**

"Chill, would you? It wasn't our fault. Cynthia's back in Sinnoh right now and Lance had business in Johto. We were the only ones available and it seems they knew that," Bruno pulled me out of my memories, which made me only glare at him harder. Again it might have been funny to see the hardened Fighting type expert actually sweat under my gaze, but I frankly didn't care.

"We were ambushed flying in," Koga cut in smooth and calm. "Our helicopters were taken down and we had to abandon most of our unit to make it here as fast as we could." The older ninja's words managed to calm me down some. I knew him quite well, especially since I was good friends with Janine, and so I found myself listening to him more than I otherwise would have to anyone else in my state.

Sighing heavily, I plopped down on a small rock, the physical and mental exhaustion finally catching up to me. "They really had this planned well." Especially for a mission that I doubt could have been anything but improvised. Because, if it had been planned from long hand, we never would have gotten a chance to interrupt it in the first place. The level of quick preparation and readiness was cause for more than just concern. It meant they were all but ready to... do whatever they planned on doing.

"I just hope Mew got away after all." Domino's parting words were still on my mind but all they meant was that they were prepared for eventualities. They would have teams at key locations, not everywhere. There was a good chance Mew could get away without running into one of them.

Just as the two older Elites wanted to reply to that, my Pokégear chimed and glancing at the caller ID, my eyes widened slightly. I did not believe in coincidences and even if, this would have been too big as to think of it as one. "Excuse me for a moment." Pushing off the rock, I threw a last glance at where Misty was being checked over and her Pokémon were treated, then hit the button to receive the call.

Ash's face popped up on the screen. There was a lot of emotion there that I could even see on the small screen. From the moving scenery and the night sky I also assumed that he was up in the air. "Ash, I would be happy to hear from you but I suppose this isn't a social call?"

No, it wasn't. And my first thought proved correct. At least I knew afterwards that our effort here hadn't been entirely wasted but it would only be a good while later until I could really be relieved about the outcome.

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**Seafoam Islands, Kanto (Ash)**

Patience had never been my strongest point. I admit, I got better lately but situations like this still tended to greatly aggravate me. I had tried playing the tough guy in front of Dawn but the deep concern inside had only been getting stronger as I tried to push it aside.

I suppose that is how most people feel when they have to wait in a medical facility of any kind with someone they loved – be it human or Pokémon – in serious, potentially lethal danger. Anxious and helpless. Just sitting there and waiting. And the waiting was usually the worst.

There hadn't been any further incidents. Whether that was because all the Team Rocket members had already been taken out or merely chose not to pursue their target further now that we had intervened, I couldn't tell. That didn't mean it was an unimportant question. The latter would mean they were aware Mew was with us now while the former would most likely mean that they had no idea just what exactly happened.

Further puzzling was that the Rhyperior had acted on its own. Driven with fury as it was, the absence of a "Trainer" – I frankly refused to use the term for criminals – was curiously noted. I suppose for the kind of single-minded devotion the creature had shown, there was not much direction necessary. Yet again the question remained whether the handler in question had either been taken out by Mew before or had been in hiding, watching and then slipping away while we left.

My distracting contemplation was interrupted when the door to the small waiting room opened and Nurse Joy poked her head inside. Dawn and I were immediately alert and looked at her expectant. It had truly been a long day, much more for Dawn than for me. She had stubbornly refused to rest more than necessary once I arrived, dozing in and off while waiting here with me. I knew she wouldn't be able to fully relax until she knew Mew was alright. It was the same for me.

Seeing Nurse Joy's tired but relieved face immediately took away a great deal of the weight pressing on my heart. "The patient is over the worst of it. Nothing more rest at this point shouldn't be able to take care of." I sagged slightly in my chair, the tension in my body draining away and making me aware of some of my own fatigue. Dawn just smiled, tired but happy. I felt her immense relief and squeezed her hand lightly.

"If you don't mind. Mew woke up a little while ago and would like to speak with you two." I exchanged a glance with Dawn. I suppose I should be asking Nurse Joy how exactly she would know what Mew wanted since I didn't recall her – we had all simply accepted Dawn's adamant stance on the matter – ever speaking human language like her clone. Then again... she was a Legendary and Psychic Pokémon. If far less-able Pokémon like Meowth could learn the human language than who was to say a Mew couldn't?

In the end neither of us cared, too tired to pursue unnecessary questions, and followed Nurse Joy to where they had brought Mew for observation and resting. On the way Joy admitted that whatever it was that Dawn had done to keep Mew stable, had probably saved her life. That kind of quelled the last of my anger that I had felt after hearing how Dawn in her state had tried to feed Mew power pretty much up to the point until Mew had been taken into the operation room. After which she had promptly collapsed from the strain. I hadn't been very happy about her recklessness but could at least understand why she had done it. And hearing now that it had been the right thing to do, made me feel kind of proud instead.

Shortly afterwards we arrived at the room. I noted the two security officers on each side of the door and smiled slightly. It was a blessing that most of the personnel from the Grand Festival was still present. With the size of the event and recent happenings, security had been tight and everyone here was professionally alert and ready.

Nurse Joy waited outside after admitting us inside, but told us we should keep it short since Mew really needed her rest. Frankly, as much as I wanted some answers to all the questions even more now, I could do with some sleep by now and doubted I had much mental capacity left. Dawn looked like she could sleep a day and I wouldn't be surprised if she did just that or more later.

Mew was comfortably rested on a small bed and looked – as much as I could tell – like she was deep asleep. But as soon as I closed the door behind us, her head perked up slightly and blue eyes focused on us with a mixture of emotion that I couldn't identify all of.

"It seems we only get to meet under dire circumstances," Mew said flawlessly in our language and looked straight at me. I chuckled weakly, not really sure how I should respond to that, after all it wasn't like I had chosen to do so either way. I didn't have to reply though. "Thank you both for saving my life."

Dawn shook her head. "We are just glad you are okay."

Mew smiled weakly. "I am afraid I cannot answer all your questions just yet. My wounds have been treated but I need time to recover my energy. For that I must enter a deep meditative trance and that might take several days. Before I do so, however, I wanted to thank you personally for what you have done for me. I did not wish to place this burden on you so early, Chosen." My eyes widened at that word but Mew continued before I could inquire further. "I am afraid my powers are too weak right now to tell, so I need to ask: Has any of you have any idea what has happened to my dear child?"

Still stuck with the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that single word had ignited in me, it took me several long moments to understand what she was asking. Unfortunately I did not have a satisfying answer for that either. "I'm sorry. I've spoken to Leaf but she said no trace of Mewtwo was found in the cave." Which could mean just about anything unfortunately.

However, Mew seemed somewhat... satisfied. Not really relieved but the sadness in her eyes at mentioning her clone had vanished slightly. "I see. I suppose I can only believe then. Now, before I rest, there is one last thing I need to do." Lifting her tail, the tip begin to glow softly and I could see that it was taking every ounce of strength left to do whatever she did. A few seconds later the light had solidified and formed what looked like a Pokéball. But it was a pure, crystalline white, decorated with unfamiliar symbols in sparkling silver.

Mew took a deep breath and then she looked straight at Dawn who blinked at the intensity suddenly directed at her. "For the time being, I shall be in your care, Dawn." And with that, before we could even properly process that shocking statement, she nudged the strange Pokéball open and vanished inside, the device not even shaking once before giving the standard capture signal.

The room was silent for at least two full minutes before Dawn broke the silence with a loud exclamation I couldn't fault her for one bit. "Ehhhh?!"

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**Heal Bell Academy (Brock)**

_Looks like it passed._

It was already well past midnight, more like early morning. Somehow I doubted I would even get to sleep again or that it would do me any good. The first wave had awoken me only a short time after going to bed and the somewhat reduced but very strong feeling after it – much like an echo – had kept me awake.

_What a weird feeling. I wonder what it is._

Of course, I knew partly what it was. Not the what exactly but the who. This had something to do with Ash and Dawn, that much I was sure. Something important happened. Something big. Something I was sure would have a great impact on the near future. I might not have the connection those two seemed to share these days but all three of us had once been chosen by the Lake Trio in Sinnoh. There had always been a very faint echo of that connection. It was never very active but right now I could tell much more about the strange sensation than I knew I normally should.

I could also tell that the moment had passed and whatever crisis had befallen them, had been averted. Not that I expected anything less. There was little that could get in the way of those two. I saw a lot of the younger Ash in Dawn but she had her own special qualities, too, and together they had grown into something special. I truly believed they were both meant for great things and that as long as they stuck together, they could change the world.

_Heh, that sounded rather cheesy._ But I couldn't help myself. They were much like siblings to me, yet different from my brothers at home. While not related by blood, I felt an unmatched attachment to them and wished for nothing but their happiness. The prospect of seeing them again soon had me very excited. As much as I loved it here and as much as I loved Ako, the travels through Sinnoh with them had been one of my most cherished.

_Ako._ My gaze wandered over to the balcony of her room, clearly visible from mine. I was troubled. The strange experience just now had only reinforced my concerns that something was happening. Something big. And whatever it was, I doubted it would stop with some kind of Team Rocket terrorist attack and grab for power. Right now I could feel it clearly. That sense of... destiny. Something had been set in motion tonight. No, not set in motion. It had already begun long before now but tonight it seemed that whatever it was had started to catch up with Ash and Dawn and the only reason why I sensed it so strongly could only mean that I would play some part in it.

Ako was obviously fast asleep. I could see no light and I believed that I would know somehow if something was up. Which meant it was just me. That automatically posed the question of whether or not it would be a good thing to drag Ako into whatever was coming. I knew she wouldn't back out once things got serious, despite her aversion to battle. She was far too good-hearted and stubborn when it came to aiding those in need, thus she would simply ignore the danger to herself. But her gap in battle skill was what made me worry for her safety...

Of course, she wouldn't back down from the trip either. Not without an honest explanation... and upon that she would insist on coming for sure. I suppose there was no way out of it after all. I doubted I would be able to stop her from coming short of locking her in her room or something and even that would only be a temporary solution. Besides, if I was really honest with myself, I would want her with me. It might be selfish but I'd rather have her where I could make sure she was alright. Now that I finally had someone precious like that, I wanted to make sure that I would be the one to protect her.

That really sounded kind of arrogant but I suppose that is what true love does to you. I really didn't think she was weak. Ako had her own special strength but as the man I couldn't help but wanting to play the classic hero part once in awhile, too. Couldn't let Ash have all the fun after all.

Regardless, there was no way around it then. We still had some time until we had to set out for our job. I would have to step up her battle training. As much as I did want to be strong for her, I wouldn't allow that to stand in the way of making sure she could handle herself.

Part of me could understand her peaceful nature that abhorred all violence. It was one of these things I had grown to love. It wasn't just an innocent view – regardless how much I knew that the world wasn't quite so simple – but it was a strong conviction. A conviction I shared, along with everyone I had the pleasure to travel with so far. Ako needed to understand, however, that Pokémon battles didn't have to be about force and violence.

That had never been how Ash saw it. Both him and his Pokémon were motivated by the challenge to their own limits and the desire to protect those weaker that couldn't protect themselves. Sometimes fighting had to be done, regardless how much you didn't like it.

I would really be a bad boyfriend, if I didn't help Ako with her problems. And I would be an even more irresponsible one, taking her along against an unknown danger without having her sufficiently prepared. Perhaps I would need to be a little harsher, as much as it galled me, but it was for her best.

Satisfied with the resolution I had reached, I returned back inside, hoping to catch at least a few more hours of sleep. I didn't have class until earlier in the day and I suppose for once I could sleep in a little. The next weeks would be tough. Not just in helping Ako train but I would have to step up my game, too.

END 02-03a, click next to continue...


	18. 0203b: Mew's Revelation!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 3

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Some days later, Outskirts of Cherrygrove City, Johto (Ash)**

_I should have done this more often_, I thought with a wry smile but then discarded the idea right away. True, using a disguise would have been more effective to keep a low profile in the last year. It would have definitely helped to avoid at least some of the fans. It was ridiculously easy to pull off as well. Everyone knew that Ash Ketchum would always dress in a similar way. The jacket, the gloves and especially the hat. Even if the actual articles changed in style over the years, I had always felt most comfortable with this getup.

So, replace the jacket with a lightweight cloak – it was getting warmer after all –, take off the gloves once in awhile and definitely leave away the hat. Voila, no one had any idea who I was. Okay, not exactly no one but the hype-crazed fan that didn't really bother with details – meaning they only knew Ash Ketchum, celebrated Sinnoh League Champion, not the actual person – was most efficiently fooled.

I had done this a few times when things got really bad and we wanted some peace and quiet within a city. But I really didn't like hiding who I was. I felt naked without the hat, at least, and I was never the kind of person that shied away from open confrontation.

Now, however, there was no way around it. At least for some time. With Dawn's victory it wasn't just "Ash Ketchum, League Champion and his girlfriend" anymore. It was suddenly. "Ash Ketchum, League Champion and Dawn, Top Coordinator". That ought to make for an even greater hype. And too much attention was the least we actually needed right now. That was, after all, the other and perhaps greater reason for running around in disguise.

After having another talk with Leaf, Dawn and I had made our way off the island even before daybreak. Organizing a ship wasn't so hard for two people with enough credit to their name and appropriate connections. We had both been extremely tired from the day, Dawn even more so, but as much as I wanted to give us some rest, staying even a day would have been bad in several ways.

We couldn't know if someone was still tracking Mew. But even if not, Team Rocket would surely investigate if their team on Seafoam Island didn't report back. Any minute spent too close to the site would draw attention to us. And with the Grand Festival over, there would be a lot of people out to catch a glimpse of the new Top Coordinator, get an autograph etc., especially with me there as well.

So, until this situation was a little more cleared up, we had to keep a low profile, whether or not we liked it. That was also why I suggested we would make a brief stop in Johto. Cherrygrove was close enough to Victory Road, to cross over quickly to Kanto again. The new event was situated on an island to the north, between Kanto and Sinnoh. So, if we decided to go there, we wouldn't be too far off. In fact we could even travel north and take a ship from some of the smaller sea towns.

Arriving back at our camp site, I found Dawn relaxing in the sun. It was a warm day today and the sunglasses wouldn't raise any suspicion at all. I was kind of envious since that was all it really seemed to take to fool most people, aside from maybe binding her hair in one single, longer ponytail. Then again, I really wouldn't want to have her any other way and should be glad this was enough.

"Here we go." I dumped the bag of provisions on the ground and plopped down next to her in the grass. It was a nice day to be outside actually and for once didn't really mind not having the comforts of an actual place to stay. "So far it doesn't look as if anyone's been following us but we should keep this up a little longer."

"Mmh." Dawn was absently playing with the oddly colored Pokéball, the one that Mew had given her before actually disappearing inside. There hadn't been a sign of activity from the Legendary since then but Dawn was certain that she was doing exactly as said. Resting and getting her strength back, whatever exactly that meant. I have to admit Mew's declaration just before doing that had really shocked me. Oh, not so much about wanting to stay with us for now. Not just was it a logical thing to do for someone obviously hunted, but the way things usually went with me and Legendaries, I wasn't terribly surprised about that bit. What had me baffled was that Mew had obviously decided to stay with Dawn!

Not that I begrudged my girlfriend such a thing, not in the slightest, but it was rather unexpected, especially after hearing Mew mention the word "Chosen". That had immediately reminded me off the Lugia business and I was almost certain at this point that all this had something to do with me again. This new twist had really thrown me for a loop but it seemed like I wouldn't get any answers before Mew was awake again.

"So, what do we want to do now?" I decided to change the topic. Regardless of what all these new developments meant, we still had to decide on a new destination. Over the last year we had been content to focus on Dawn's goal and my further training. The Grand Festival was over now, so that left the question of what to do. Of course, something new had already presented itself. "I bet you want to try out this new thing." And it wouldn't hurt if I was present, I guess. Once I knew what was up with this Mew business, I would have to have a serious talk with whoever was in charge of this. I would have appreciated at least being informed beforehand that I was suddenly nominated for this new event. They really should make up their mind about a name.

The way I understood it, there would be teams in a setup of one Trainer and two Coordinators. One of the latter would be determined through a qualification round and the other would have to be chosen by the Trainer. So it wasn't necessary for Dawn to take this qualification round but I knew her way of thinking and her competitive spirit. Besides, I think we both agreed it would be better if I could actually have a say in both of my supposed partners. If Dawn won the qualification round, I would be free to make a choice that would please us both.

"And what about you?" Dawn asked, showing that she was everything but inattentive. "You've been mostly training all year. Aren't you anxious to tackle the Master League?"

I chuckled and scratched my head. She got me there, that was for sure, but that didn't necessary have to mean anything. "It's not like we can't do both. First, the qualification round is rather soon and after that there is still a lot of time until all the others are done. Second, dates for Master League matches are rather irregular. Most of the time challenges have to be made and specifics dates will be set. All in all, one match shouldn't really take more than two or three days out of our time. And lastly... I really want to know first what's going on with... this." I glanced at the Pokéball currently holding Mew. "Things are rather tense right now. I have a feeling we and a lot of other people might not have much time for simple things like official Pokémon battles very soon."

Dawn frowned, but I could see she agreed with that last assessment. Until we were a little more sure about the near future, making any further, complex plans wasn't the best idea. "So... We start setting out for this new Contest type for now and then see what comes up along the way?" She did sound somewhat pleased and I had to hide a smile.

"I think that's for the best right now."

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**Veilstone City, Sinnoh (May)**

"Machoke is unable to battle! Winner of this round is Eevee."

If anyone had just walked in and heard that end result they might have gotten the shock of their life. And it would be even more shocking if they knew that the Gym Leader had been fighting with her full strength just as I had requested. Under these circumstances no one would give an unevolved Eevee a chance against a powerful Fighting type like Machoke.

Such a first impression would have been negated had they watched the actual battle, probably replaced with utter fascination... but that was the point of swearing Maylene and her referee to silence on Naru's secret. I wanted to keep this one as long as possible, hopefully not revealing it to a larger audience before the new Contest. I wanted to keep this ace as long as possible to get a surprise in against Dawn.

"Good work, Naru, take a rest." Even without her special ability, she was well-trained. After all Naru had for some reason participated in every major training session since we met. She wouldn't participate in any official battles but that was okay. I understood why. But now she had offered and we needed to get some real battle experience in. A Contest battle was all about harmony, even more so than a normal battle. The first real test had been a full success, even if I knew it had been greatly attributed to Maylene's surprise to have an opponent like this.

The Gym Leader of Veilstone City had still fought hard and I found my myself even more confirmed in my decision to make this small side trip north, instead of heading straight southwest towards the location of the first qualification round. Part of me had just been looking for a decent challenge to keep my skills sharp, another part had wanted to take on Maylene specifically. I had heard from Dawn how they had fought once and I wanted to see how well I would do. To be fair, the conditions weren't nearly the same and I was sure Dawn wouldn't have lost right now, but that didn't really matter to me. Besides, while she was primarily a Fighting type expert, many of her Pokémon were part Psychic or had some psychic abilities. I found that to be a good preparation for fighting Dawn's obvious newfound orientation.

"Next one?" I asked smiling and Maylene nodded enthusiastically, calling out her Medicham and Gallade. We had agreed beforehand that the second round would be a two on two battle. I decided to humor her and sent out two similar types as well. "Blaziken, Ninetales!"

It was an intense, fast paced battle. And one where I quickly learned a few things. First of all, fighting two Pokémon with strong mental abilities was extremely frustrating. Their synchronization was so perfect, it was extremely difficult to try and score a hit without the other anticipating and covering the opening. Maylene wasn't giving telepathic commands but they were issued in such short order, it was hard to follow or react to them, even with all the training we had done.

The other thing I learned was that Blaziken and Ninetails had very little experience actually fighting as a combo. The former was more used to working with Blastoise or Venusaur, even the odd combination with Beautifly, while Ninetales had little double team experience other than her combo with Beautifly. Sure we had trained this, but training and reality were two entirely different things.

The synchrony between Medicham and Gallade was starting to overwhelm them and I found myself struggling to find a way to reverse the situation. Blaziken was taking the brunt of the assault, staying out front while Ninetales was trying to give support from the rear. It wouldn't hold much longer. "Ninetales, Heat Wave, then D5." I had taken to the idea of certain code signals for specific strategies that I didn't want the opponent to know about fairly well. Personally I found myself to be a straight-forward person in my battle approach but that didn't mean I would rob myself of a tactical advantage.

For Blaziken the Heat Wave was more like a refresher while Medicham and Gallade had to briefly fall back to brace themselves against it. Behind the wall of flames, Ninetales had quickly buried herself into the ground. "Blaziken, press on!" My oldest Pokémon was already in motion, renewing the assault with a new vigor, knowing already that now was the decisive moment. I felt myself unconsciously trying to mimic Blaziken's movements. A kick here, then a jump, a quick block, a double combination... I had started to train some close range moves with Blaziken lately and found myself liking the exercise. It really helped in my synchronization with my long-time partner, too.

The timing was perfect. Medicham and Gallade were so focused on their exchange of blows and kicks that they reacted just a little too late when Ninetales burst out of the ground and immediately let loose a devastating Inferno attack. It might seem rather crazy with one of your own Pokémon right in the middle of the opponents but fire attacks didn't really hurt Blaziken much anymore. In fact, he immediately used the blaze to power up a lightning-fast snap kick against Gallade, before spinning around into a Sky Phoenix towards Medicham. The latter somehow managed to bend away but Blaziken adjusted quickly and spun around for another kick. Hurt from the fire, Medicham's first evasion had been pure instinct and muscle memory, now it was too occupied by the pain from the heat to react properly.

"Medicham and Gallade are unable to battle! Winners: Blaziken and Ninetales."

Maylene recalled her Pokémon, then gave me a knowing smile. I blinked in confusion, wondering what she was so... smug about. After all she had just lost. "You really seemed to be in synch with Blaziken just there." Ah, that's what it was. Seems like she noticed. She was a Fighting type expert, so I shouldn't be surprised. The next bit did surprise me, but not in a bad way. "Want to have some real training? Both you and Blaziken could really improve with some proper Martial Arts training. A crash course shouldn't take too long, just a couple of days."

I thought for a long moment, yet inside I already knew the answer, felt the excitement in my body. I had planned to travel back through Sinnoh until I could take a ship anyway. A few days here wouldn't hurt and I felt I would learn more that way than just travelling leisurely. "I'd like that."

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**Heal Bell Academy, Johto (Ako)**

It didn't scare me. Really. Battling I mean. And perhaps using such strong words as hate or disgust for description wasn't entirely adequate either. I found the practice of two Pokémon battling each other... pointless. There was already so many bad things, so much pain in this world. Why add to this by making it a sport out of having two living creatures fight each other?

"It's in their nature. Whether you like it or not." That had been one of Brock's early lessons and he had enforced it over the last days. I could sort of understand why he was doing this but that didn't mean I had to like it. Not one bit. Just because it was in their nature, wasn't that just because on their own they were forced to do so to survive, a natural survival instinct born from generations of practice? Or was I being presumptuous to think I knew exactly what motivated Pokémon?

"Leafeon, Leaf Blade, don't let up." I winced when the attack struck yet again. Maybe I was wrong after all. Why else would Leafeon do this so easily, against her own sister? "Follow it up with Seed Bomb!" Brock didn't let up and the barrage struck Genki several times. I knew I had to do something but this was also a battle against my own conviction. I KNEW this was for the best. I KNEW I had to overcome this. I didn't want to be a burden to Brock, even if that meant I had to get over my reluctance for battle.

"Genki, use Flamethrower!" She struggled against the assault but got off the attack. Unfortunately Leafeon was long gone then and I looked around in confusion, trying to find our opponent. Had she gone underground? That was the only logical explanation. If so I had to expect an attack from below. Recalling what Brock had coached me in, I had Genki seek higher ground to decrease the chances of getting caught by Dig when Leafeon eventually emerged.

This wasn't the first time he had been pressing me so hard in our training battles. At first he had held back, but then became more and more aggressive, resulting in more and more damage to my Pokémon. It aggravated, it hurt me, but try as I might I couldn't find that spark that allowed me to fight back. I knew all the theories. Brock was a good teacher. Perhaps not an excellent Trainer himself, he had nonetheless taught me everything he knew. But regardless of that, I couldn't put the kind of determination into battle as him.

"You are hesitating again," Brock called out sharply. "Remember the lessons about this kind of situation. This kind of indecisiveness will cost the mission. What are your priorities?!" My eyes widened when I finally realized why Leafeon hadn't shown up yet, even after Genki took higher ground. Genki never was the target.

Brock had used the principle of scenario training for this. The academy did the same but under more toned down conditions. Now though those used to simulate injured Pokémon in need of treatment while in the middle of a battle, was done by my own Pokémon. Clefairy and Luvdisc, both paralyzed by an attack beforehand. And right now Genki was their only defender and I had just...

"No! Genki, get back to the shelter!" But it was already too late. Even as Genki leapt towards where my other Pokémon were holed up, Leafeon emerged from the ground, mere meters away. Genki wouldn't make it and that meant once again I had failed to do the right thing, perhaps I really was too much of a burden. As it was, I wouldn't be of any help to Brock... or anyone else for that matter.

"Leafeon, use Seed Bomb again!" I gasped in horror. He wouldn't... Leafeon hesitated only for a fraction but then did as ordered, starting to release the attack on my defenseless Pokémon.

"No! Stop...!" Everything seemed to go in slow motion. My heart was beating so fast, I thought it would burst out of my chest any moment. Helpless I watched Leafeon rearing back and taking aim before spewing a barrage of hard seeds at high speed. Distinctly I registered Brock telling me that on the battlefield the opponent would not show mercy either. And I knew he was right. Because of my weakness...

"No," I mumbled. This wasn't what I had been trying to do all these years. I wanted to help those in need. I wanted to heal those that were in pain. I wanted to protect those that couldn't. If I had to fight and inflict pain myself, then so be it! There was no point in it otherwise. I really was so naïve. To think anything would change just by clinging to my excuses like that. If I had to fight, I would fight for my beliefs. "Genki, use Flamethrower against the rock!" Genki turned around and blasted the attack against the rock she had just jumped away from. This enabled her to push away at a far greater speed. Leafeon had barely gotten off a few shots, before Genki suddenly shot past her. "Now, Protect!" The next volley bounced off harmlessly on the defensive barrier. Knowing I couldn't have Genki hide forever, I waited for a gap in the attack before pressing forward. "Now, Flamethrower once more!"

Genki cried out in exertion but also with a kind of energetic... joy that startled me but I had no time to think about it. Leafeon had somehow dodged the stream of fire. "Follow it!" And Genki did, angling the attack down and Leafeon had barely time to touch down before needing to skip away quickly. I was just about to press the attack when Brock suddenly cut in.

"Alright, enough." I blinked, for a moment so caught up in the moment that I had forgotten everything else. Seeing the assault on my helpless Pokémon had gotten me so angry, I had for a moment forgotten I was fighting my own boyfriend and that all this was training. Brock smiled at me. "Good, looks like you finally found your resolve. Remember this feeling, Ako. It will give you the strength you need when it counts."

With a smile, he recalled Leafeon before walking over to me. "I'm sorry for having to do this. I don't think your beliefs are necessarily wrong. But you needed to understand that your hesitation would just as much threaten to cause others pain or worse. I am not asking you to become a ruthless battler. But fighting to protect those that need it, that shouldn't be too bad, right?"

The adrenaline that had built up was slowly draining away and I could analyze the last minutes with a little more clarity, finding myself amazed at just how simple and natural it had come to me after all. There had been no hesitation in every attack I had ordered. Was this what Brock had tried to do from the beginning. Help me find my reason to fight, regardless of my own misgivings?

Slowly I returned the smile. "No, I guess it's not."

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**Route 46, Johto (Mew)**

Slowly, very slowly my consciousness began to separate from the state of absolute awareness, the deep connection to nature and my governing element. Elation mingled with a state of total rejuvenation. I never had felt better than now. Okay, not counting the other rare times I had used this special regeneration technique. They were so few I could recall any of them and while the feeling right now was something very powerful, I tried to avoid letting it come to this since it was really only necessary when I reached the very worst... and I could do without that again for another century or so, thank you very much.

Seeing as I was outside the Pokéball and my two temporary caretakers – though I saw them more like soon-to-be charges – had their full attention on me, I was immediately reminded that it would probably not be so long until I had to go to the limits of my power and beyond again. There was a serious and expectant atmosphere in the air that I could somewhat understand after the events of that day and then imposing mine and soon to be their problems on them.

Stretching lazily, I grinned in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Ah, I slept fantastically." I suppose the dumbfounded looks when I proceeded to go straight to zipping through the air, performing loops and other maneuvers was kind of amusing. But there was a point to this. Really. Doing this kind of meditation was rejuvenating mostly for my internal powers, my mental and elemental abilities. It had the nasty side effect of making the body rather stiff. I had learned that trying to loosen up all those muscles right away was generally a good way to prevent days of sore muscles.

To their credit, the two children didn't seem to mind. Ash was grinning slightly and Dawn had a soft, somewhat relieved smile. I could feel the remaining concern for my well-being draining away from her. I had felt her mind touching mine during the last days a couple of times and knew she could only be fully reassured after seeing me like this now.

"Alright, that's a lot better." I grinned but then turned a little more serious, floating over to Dawn. "First of all. I want to thank you again. I wish I could have avoided this at least for a few more weeks and I am aware that the timing sucked a lot. It was not my intention to bother you at your important day." And I would have tried to avoid it if possible but the teleportation had cost me a lot of power. Encountering more of the vile creatures was a surprise and it had been an effort to take out the three that had been there. Well, two of them at least. After that my power had finally run dry short of taking down the last one.

As expected, the young girl gave me a confused look. "Um, how do you...?"

I chuckled, trying my best to look somewhat embarrassed. "How do I know all that about you? Well, that's all part of a longer story which I bet you are both dying to know by now." And there was the anticipation again. Ash was giving me a "duh" expression that had me laugh. "In a moment. But first..." I paused dramatically, letting them stew just a little. "I'm really hungry."

I giggled at the instant FOAS.

{Mini Author Note: From now I shall use this shortening if I ever come into the situation to use this... What it means? FOAS: falls over anime-style. It's really one of these few anime-specific things that I cannot somehow integrate somewhat into reality but is such a well-known occurrence that I don't want to rob myself of this technique completely.}

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A couple of minutes and a refreshing meal later – honest, I really had been hungry, you would be hungry too after meditating for days! – I felt a whole lot better and ready to take up the questionable honor of telling these young children about the steep and stony path they would have ahead of them now, whether they wanted to or not. Because they were our only and last hope to set things right.

Satisfied that everyone – upon my request Ash and Dawn had released all their Pokémon as well – was comfortable and more relaxed than before, I prepared myself for the memories as well. Remembering this time was not exactly easy for me. But it had to be done. I wouldn't go too deep into the tale just yet. It would already be a lot to take in for them. "Close your eyes and clear your mind. Dawn, open your shields and let me in. This way you can experience some of my memories as well to help you understand better what I am about to tell you." Feeling the two humans do as I asked – connecting to my fellow Pokémon was easier – I focused my power and sent them some of these memories from long ago, carefully filtered as to not overwhelm their minds.

"Long, very long ago, in this world there were two sentient life forms. One of them were humans and the others were what is referred to in your history books as animals. For long periods of time, evolution progressed naturally but eventually the faster evolution cycle of humans began to take effect and the animals felt threatened by humans that became more and more clever at hunting them, driving some races to the brink of extinction. It was in that time that some animals were born that possessed an unusual high amount of a mysterious energy that was believed to be generally so underdeveloped in living beings that it was of little use."

For a moment I debated skipping over the specifics right now but realized it was more essential that they had a grasp on what exactly they, too, had to be dealing with soon. "Nature Resonance Energy, or NRE for short, is what researchers later termed this power. To fully comprehend it is almost impossible. Putting it as simple as possible for now: NRE is the measurement of how in tune a creature would be with nature, for example being attuned to a certain element, a better understanding of other living beings and several other things. This power is also deeply intervened with the balance in nature, the undisrupted principles of our world. This potential is present in every living being but only a few can tap into it, manifesting in different abilities for everyone. For us it meant also a far higher awareness that goes beyond the instincts that mostly drove animals at the time."

I made a small break to let them take in this kind of information before continuing, my voice becoming solemn. "We only intended to help our brethren whose very survival was threatened by the evolution of mankind. Our leader was a kind-hearted being and being by far the most powerful of us and with him we believed to set the balance right. However..." I paused, suppressing the swell of painful memories. "We made a terrible mistake."

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**(Dawn)**

Within my mind I could see a circle of creatures that I would have said vaguely resembled Pokémon, I could clearly see the shape of at least two big birds reminding me of pictures of some of the Legendaries. But the image wasn't very clear and from the descriptions just given, it had to be these animals that Mew was talking about. In their center was another figure – probably their leader – but I couldn't make out anything about it at all. I wondered if that was deliberate on Mew's part but then decided it was not worth contemplating right now.

"Unable to predict the vast consequences of using these powers that we were born with, the release of such a massive amount of NRE created a great disturbance in nature and warped the very natural order of this world." This time I could see more clearly, pictures of what I knew from history books as ancient animals changing into what we knew today as Pokémon. The implication left me stunned, even if looking back on it later I could rationalize that this should have been an obvious outcome from the way the tale was going.

After all there were no traces of normal animals anymore in these days, many actually theorized that their existence was nothing but a myth, but yet we retained knowledge of them, descriptions of Pokémon were bound to them. We knew the terms Bird Pokémon or Bug Pokémon even though we had never seen the animal from where the comparison came from.

"Humanity but even more so most of our brethren were unprepared for the change, overwhelmed by the powers suddenly granted onto them while still driven by fear and anger at humanity."

Mew's voice was now deeply saddened and I didn't need an elaboration of what most likely happened and it didn't seem like the Legendary wanted to speak further about it right now, quickly moving on with her tale. "However, that was only one of the problems that arose with the change. By releasing such a huge amount of NRE, even after enacting a change of that scale, a lot of it was left unused. This energy did not simply dissipate though. It grew a consciousness of its own. Taking in all the dark feelings of fear, hate and desire. Unnoticed IT had begun to influence the emotions of the new Pokémon race. Inexperienced with their new evolutionary state, they became easily susceptible and the influence was done on such an unconscious, instinctual level that no one noticed until the world was awash in bloody conflict between humanity and Pokémon."

This time I did see pictures of that and wished I hadn't. It was only brief scenes. Pokémon tearing into humans viciously, humans using various kind of weapons and guns to take down Pokémon. It was ugly, despicable and I could sense the deep revulsion and regret from Mew. "We, who had been in the center of and enacted this change, received powers far greater than our brethren. Thus we had to act. It was our responsibility for these events were of our own making. We challenged and eventually defeated this foul creature but for various reasons were unable to destroy it. So we had to seal it away, a seal infused with all of our powers that should hopefully hold it for all eternity."

"But nothing is forever," that was Ash who was first among us to speak up and I smiled tightly realizing I had probably thought the same thing. "Isn't it?"

Mew was silent for a moment. "No, it isn't. Everything erodes with time. Before he fell into a deep sleep, our leader, the being with the highest NRE potential of our time, left us a prophecy that foretold the reappearance of the darkness we had so carelessly unleashed and that at that time our powers alone would not be enough anymore to contain it. However, we were also foretold that in this time six humans would be born with a never before seen potential to wield NRE, each attuned to one of the primary elements that govern this world. Air, Water, Earth, Fire and the higher elements of Light and Shadow."

I had a feeling I knew where this was going and I wasn't sure if I liked it even one bit. "These humans would determine the fate of our world and whether or not the balance in nature that we had so carelessly destroyed could be regained. A true balance between humanity and the Pokémon race we had created."

At this point the connection faded away and I slowly opened my eyes again. Mew was looking at us with that mixture of seriousness, expectation and regret again. Yes, I believed to know already what would be coming next and I wasn't disappointed. "You probably have already guessed by now. Both of you are among those six that have been foretold to us. I'm sure you must have wondered where your sudden powers come from, Dawn, since no one in your family's recent past has manifested similar abilities. Psychic power is deeply tied to the higher element of Light which is also my own Primary even if that is widely unknown to most people. The psychic abilities you have discovered now are a mere beginning of the power that sleeps within you."

At this point I had enough. Perhaps it wasn't the most mature reaction but all these new revelations were overwhelming me to the point where I had trouble to keep a calm mind. "Hold it!" I stood up abruptly, drawing a startled but sympathetic look from Ash which right then I chose to ignore though. "What are you saying? That we are supposed to be some kind of super warriors to save the world from something you guys messed up in the first place? I..." The images of humans and Pokémon fighting... no, outright killing each other in a bloodthirsty conflict was something I couldn't get quite out of my head. And something like that was what we were supposed to deal with? Something that could make intelligent creatures do such gruesome things?

At this point I felt Ash reach for my hand but jerked away. Immediately realizing what I had done, I felt ashamed of my outburst but I couldn't really deal with all this right now. So I went with the first instinct that came. I ran.

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I expected Ash and was mildly surprised when it was Mew quietly settling down in the grass next to me.

That made it a lot harder, too. I felt rather foolish right now already. With Ash I could have dealt. In fact he always knew the right thing to say to me in order to cheer me up. Part of me wanted that. Parted of me wanted a soothing reassurance, a sense of normality.

Normality... What was that? I didn't know anymore. Sure, I had often thought about the rapid changes in my life ever since meeting Ash. Back then, I had just been a twelve year-old with dreams of one day being as famous a Coordinator as her mother. I would have never dared dreamed about reaching that goal so fast because it was just that... A dream. A faraway point in the future that I couldn't really define. Meeting Ash had changed all that. The dream had become something tangible as I began to be infected by his drive. Falling for Ash had changed that even more. Then came the three training months, Ash becoming Champion and suddenly that previously unreachable dream had become so close and was finally obtained. All this in just roughly two years.

But it wasn't enough apparently. And I think the speed at which new important events were occurring had finally caught up to me. I hadn't really slept well since the Grand Festival. I hadn't slept really well for the entire last year! As much as learning from Sabrina had helped, in the end it had never really allowed me to work through everything that happened, instead just pushing it somewhere into a mental shelf to deal with later. Unfortunately there wasn't infinite space in that shelf and it had just burst open when trying to stew the latest load inside.

That kind of outburst really wasn't like me at all. I was sure even Ash had been surprised... No, he probably knew me far better than that. Chancing a glance at the silent Mew, I did not need my powers to tell what she was feeling. It was written clearly all over her face and I had felt it earlier, too, yet disregarded it so carelessly. This wasn't her fault. She hadn't chosen to meet us like this, making it clear several times since she woke up that she had not intended to have our meeting go like this. I knew she was completely honest. Just as honest as her feelings of immense guilt for the past that had come to haunt her and her companions again, now threatening to drag us along into this mess. I could tell she was more than ready to ignore any prophecy and just do something herself, regardless how futile, reckless and ultimately fool-heartedly it would be.

How long ago had the events she told us about been anyway? Thousands of years? Longer? It sounded like she had lived since then, carrying around the guilt about their actions. I couldn't imagine what it would feel like. How could someone cope with that for such a long time and still retain such an aura of general vividness? In the face of such devotion, I had no appropriate words of how sorry I felt for my words and somehow wasn't sure what would even be appropriate. All I could say, was a weak but in the end honest, "Sorry."

Mew perked up and looked at me, then shook her head slowly. "No. Don't apologize. To tell the truth I almost expected this. From all the Chosen you have awakened a lot of your powers early. It must have been a strain for you. It is I that should apologize..."

"But you couldn't..." I started, then realized there this was going, broke off and stared at the small Legendary. A long moment passed. Then we both let out a hearty laugh that was so much more relieving of all the tension that had built up than any apology from either side could have achieved.

"Truce?" Mew asked eventually after we calmed down a little and I nodded, patting my lap. She smiled happily and briefly pushed off the grass to settle down against my stomach. I was surprised by how... right this felt. Perhaps we really had been fated to meet. The connection I had felt to the Legendary from the first moment on had been strong and that hadn't just been because of our psychic powers. There had been something far deeper, I had known this immediately.

"So... What happens now?" I asked, realizing that I had unconsciously began to stroke her white-pinkish fur. I didn't stop, feeling far too comfortable right now. For the first time in months I felt a deep, true peace settle over me. "You know we'll help, right? Even if we weren't Chosen or whatever, Ash would never refuse anyone in need and... neither would I."

Mew didn't answer right away and we sat together in a more comfortable silence. I felt Ash now a short distance off. Not interrupting but within hearing distance. "It's not time yet. All the Chosen will soon be gathered in one place. While we wait for that, I would simply like to accompany you for now. It is safer for us all. And... I can start teaching you how to handle your powers better."

I did smile genuinely at that. "I'd like that a lot."

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**(Giovanni)**

With a frown I read over the report once more and for what seemed like the hundredth time asked myself just what had went wrong.

It wasn't that I expected a positive result. I would have settled for injury and delay eagerly by the time I learned of the tracking team's discovery. But results had been better than expected. Agent 009's team had had the clear advantage. Sure, the interference was not unplanned but there had only been two of them and in the end they hadn't accomplished much. One of my most reliable agents had also proved good foresight in splitting off some forces to cover key locations for a nearby Teleport and even went so far as to cover the Seafoam Islands in case Mew would flee to the Ketchum kid.

Which the Legendary had. A Teleport that after all the fighting and running, should have drained it and yet had not been enough to stop it from taking out another small force armed with enough Rage Pokémon to give one of the Region Champions trouble. The entire squad waiting for Mew had not reported back and security had been so tight around the islands in the wake of that day that I still hadn't been able to get any of my men close enough to get information of what had transpired. That alone was enough to tell me what happened though.

I just didn't know the exact details. What happened to Mew or where the Legendary was now. In the end the conclusion of this mission, next to the galling but negligible loss in resources was "Target Lost". And I still was unsure how to feel about this.

I was not angry about the expenditure of resources. 009 and her team were well within mission parameters. It was not her fault that this happened and I would have used the same kind of tactic. Mew's tenacity had simply been more than expected and that meant next time even more of an effort would have to be made.

_And then the kids will probably be around and more ready, too_, I thought grimly. So far this was mostly speculation but my Intel was rather sound that Ketchum and his girlfriend had left Seafoam Islands early. Once more those fools' experience with the boy had paid off on that end. They had reported that their departure seemed hurried but trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, right on the next day after the event, very early. Now that could have been a simple effort to avoid media attention but it smelled too much of the possibility that they had been involved, perhaps actively involved in the eventual mission failure.

_Alright, not quite a failure_, I thought. There had been positives about the way the mission went. For once I had succeeded, with a comparably small force, to bring two of the strongest Pokémon to the brink of defeat. The long time of research and testing had paid off in that regard. Those hadn't even been the very best that we had to offer and still the Rage Pokémon had proven themselves every bit as useful as I had expected them to be.

Being able to pull this off fast and without critical interference from the League was a big step up from the fiasco at Heal Bell. I was still miffed about not getting these documents but in the long run that was of minor consequence. I was very satisfied how well the diversionary tactic had gone off. If that was the best the League could give me, I would have them completely overwhelmed when the real thing happened.

In light of that, I could already easily consider the damage to resources at least compensated. Perhaps this event would even have the League waste valuable time and effort to investigate, maybe even further divert attention to making sure Mew was save – granted they really had an idea of its current location. That would be ideal.

Finally closing the report, I decided it really wasn't worth mourning over the missed opportunity. It had been a quick response to an unexpected chance. For that it had gone rather well. Could have been better but it was better to think of the lessons learned from it, especially the positive ones. It was time now to focus on the main goal again. Mew could be dealt with later, along with everyone else.

After all, there had been one, unexpected bonus to this mission. I had honestly not believed it to be a possible outcome but wouldn't look a gift's horse in the mouth after all.

Switching to the camera showing the insides of the special laboratory, I smirked with no small amount of satisfaction at getting this unexpected chance for revenge against one who had humiliated me before. And what was better to eventually take down Mew than one born from its own genetic material?

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**(Narrator)**

The scene on the security camera showed a lone, long container of glass or some other kind of see-through material, filled with a bubbling, dark substance. Contained within the middle, secured by heavy bonds and many tubes injected into his body was the unconscious form of Mewtwo.

"Uh oh, this doesn't look good. It would seem our heroes will have a more serious challenge before them than they could have ever believed. Does the fate of the world as they know it really rest on their young shoulders? And what other secrets are still waiting for them?"

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**Maia's Prophecy**

**MysticMew: *looks around* Where is she? Oy, get out here! You wanted to do this stupid segment, now don't slack off!**

**There is no response, so MysticMew goes in search of his muse and finds her huddled in a corner.**

**MysticMew: What are you doing there?**

**Maia: ... I saw...**

**MysticMew: Saw what?**

**Maia: ... Fillers. Nasty, stupid, irritating, time-consuming and yet SADLY NECESSARY... fillers.**

**MysticMew: *stares after reeling back from the sudden outburst* Err... Yeah, well. But you agreed.**

**Maia: *snaps* I know! It's still awful!**

**MysticMew: *mumbles* Hypocritical, little... *gets pounded by huge mallet* Ugh...**

**Maia: *subdued* Next time on TFSTTM Reloaded... Cerulean Passion! Will love bloom between Misty and Leaf?**

**MysticMew: *groans* I swear, no respect...**

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**Author's Notes**

Yes, next up will be what many anime watchers would distastefully call fillers. No worries though, it's all relevant to the plot or mostly for character development at least. I did a lot of Ash and Dawn focus for these first three main episodes, so the others will be getting some more spotlight in the next ones. There will be three, one for each "pair" like in the prologues. Since May is on her own at the moment, she'll share a – probably a little bigger one with Brock and Ako, since both of them won't have that much plot between them and the Ash/Dawn one will probably have a bit more. But that's all I'm revealing here.

Now onto this episode. I am not quite sure how well I managed to convey what was in my head. Especially the last scenes starting to explain the main plot and history. When I first wrote it, I was very unsatisfied. Now, after reading over it again and making a few small corrections and additions, I feel it's at least adequate enough that I don't have to do it all over. I'd like to know what you guys think of it and the episode in general. It was a little hard to write and I feel like some scenes really could have gone better.

As for Mew's story in general. What you have is mostly a very generalized overview so far. I have most of the back story and history developed but didn't want to give it away all at once. I will probably use the next two episodes that don't focus primarily on Ash and Dawn (and Mew now) to reveal more bit by bit.

Again, if anyone is upset about the direction I'm taking with Pikachu and Lopunny keep in mind, this is still my story and my pairings. I never really intended to do anything with them to start from if not getting asked about it. Now though I do have decided on a course and I'm going to stick with it, even if that might upset hardcore Pikachu/Buneary (or in this case Lopunny) fans. Deal with it. Besides... It's mostly a side attraction at best. ^_^

Before anyone asks, I do intend to work through Ash's feelings about "killing" their opponent in the beginning. I felt it rather logical that the events of that night left very little room to really think about it. And with the situation the days afterwards still being rather unclear, it makes sense he would rather try to suppress it for the time being.

I'll try to keep up with the writing but I might want to take a bit of a break at some point. I've been writing on this story nonstop since starting the second arc and these episodes are quite a bit longer than the first arc. I do feel a little inspirational drain (hence Maia going rather crazy... crazier than usual). So if one or the other of the next "fillers" takes a bit longer than the customary 2-3 weeks, I'm merely taking a small recreational break. I am determined to see at least the second arc through before perhaps doing something different for a change.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	19. 0204a: Cerulean Passion!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 4

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

Okay, I got an interesting set of reviews just before really starting to write this episode. I am not quite sure how to react to you Yukilumi. I wouldn't quite go and say you were flaming but your wording could have been better. I see the well-meant criticism in them but the way it was written pretty much just sums up to: I don't like how the author writes. If that's your general impression, turning away and not reading further would have been better instead of blatantly ripping into someone's else's style that they have been writing in before the reviewer probably even knew about fanfiction...

For the sake of the other readers who probably don't want to see me tear your points apart (especially since I have addressed most of them off and on in different notes throughout the series), I am going to stay civil and merely wish to clarify one point.

Yukilumi... I'm NOT a girl... Not that I'm aware of at least. *looks in mirror* Nope, no sudden gender changes. Thank you very much for taking the time for reviewing but that's all I'm going to say because otherwise I would have to treat this as a flame rant and I really don't want to do that.

Now thanks to everyone else who reviewed. Especially kyuuo. Yours was short, yes, and while I can't answer any of your questions because that would be spoiling the story, it does show that you are genuinely interested in what is going to happen. Since I got yours a day after Yukilumi's set, that really helped me out. Not that I was going to get distracted by one person's opinion. It just made me think, a lot more than I actually wanted to, about it.

Finally a little service for everyone (and a bit of a response at the pre-teen romance jab from Yukilumi). Main character ages, I've finally settled on concrete ones. All dates are as of the current time in the plot. Meaning second arc, subtract roughly a year and you have what they are around the Sinnoh League Championship.

Ash: 17

Dawn: 14

Misty/Leaf: 18

Brock: 20

Ako: 19

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**Attention: Request for Artists and Beta**

I was thinking... Yeah, yeah, I do a lot of that. But seriously. The original TFSTTM had a few nice pictures by a good artist that I have no contact to anymore. If there are any decent artists among you, who would be interested to draw a few things like characters, a logo (since we do have story covers now), please give me a call either by PM or Email and we can discuss ideas. Though if you are seriously interested, you'd better be ready to share your email to better exchange files.

At the same time, the call for a good beta is still open. Twilight is doing semi-betaing, more like some rudimentary plot betaing which often consists mostly of giving first impressions on what I wrote before everyone else. My conditions haven't really changed though. You need to be firm in the language since I consider myself fairly capable already, so I'd need someone really fluent to actually point out flaws that I have not caught. And, most importantly, you should have time for it. My last attempts ended with people who said they would try it and I am still waiting for the first test episode. You get the point. I'm not saying you should be done the day after I sent it to you. But an episode within a week at least should be reasonable. I proof-read this one in several longer sessions over one day. So doing it in three or four should actually be possible.

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**Fuchsia City, Kanto (Leaf)**

Full concentration, senses alert into all directions. It was totally silent, no noise betrayed the other presence in the room. But I knew she was there. Waiting, patiently waiting for that one lapse in concentration to exploit. That was the art of fighting from the shadows and while I was still mostly a beginner, my opponent was an expert in her own right.

Several more minutes passed in this game until the silence was abruptly broken by the faint sound of air displaced as something came racing towards my position. The shuriken would have hardly made that much of a noise but with the quietness all around me and my senses sharpened to maximum, I picked them up as soon as they were released. Spinning around, I made to deflect the attack with the two kunai I was holding but then my senses screamed in alarm.

Reacting on instinct, I twisted out the way instead, spun to my right and caught the second volley, then flipped backwards twice as the last wave came from where I had originally faced. Coming up on one knee, I scanned my surroundings for any sign of further attack but none came and when my opponent dropped from her hiding place on a support beam up above the large hall, I finally relaxed my posture.

"Your reflexes got better," the purple-haired young woman stated, straightening out, her cape flapping upwards slightly. Other than that no excessive movement was made. "You might catch up to me soon this way."

I laughed a little. "I don't think so. You've been doing this since you were little. Besides I have no intention of becoming a ninja." Yet I couldn't deny that this sort of fighting style should work extremely well for the kind of powers I was supposed to receive soon. That hadn't been planned, really. At the time I accepted my old friend's offer to teach me some of her family's art, I had merely been curious, fascinated somewhat. It looked cool and I thought possessing some fighting skills would come in handy one day.

That had been a few months before the Sinnoh League Championship last year. I knew then already that I would be accepting the Master title formally but hadn't met Zoroark yet. In relation to my upcoming work I had merely reasoned that I would rather have some skills in sneaking around in hostile environment than some kind of martial art skills only suited for direct confrontation. That the ninja arts were so very well suited for my future role was a nice bonus.

I took a few deep breaths. While this kind of exercise wasn't exactly physically tiring, the absolute concentration necessary got to you even more in exchange. Frankly I hadn't really planned to get a training session like this in for some time but after the events at Cerulean Cave I had been restless and unable to properly focus. Able to concentrate on just one thing for about an hour straight had definitely been a blessing but even that seemed to just be a temporary respite. "Besides, I don't think I would be any good at being one right now."

Sighing, I sat down on one of the benches lining the edges of the Gym, meant for spectators and such. Already my thoughts were wandering back to that day and I knew that would ultimately lead me back to the realization I had made then, the realization I could no longer deny.

Janine dropped her own emotionless posture and smiled gently, handing me an energy drink which I gladly took and immediately emptied halfway. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Now, if you'd ask my father he'd tell you emotions are weakness and that a good ninja shouldn't rely on them. Personally I don't see it that extreme and plan to find myself a strong, noble man. Also... I suppose I have to admit Father is a tad hypocritical. After all I wouldn't be here otherwise." She paused briefly and for a moment a faraway expression flashed over her face. "I know for a fact that he loved Mother dearly."

I chuckled weakly. "I wasn't planning on being celibate for the rest of my life, you know?" She grinned back at me but didn't comment, instead sitting down next to me and waiting for me to continue. We made a bit of an odd pair at times but I always appreciated that Janine could be a good listener. She wasn't really my type to begin with and had made it quite clear in the beginning that she liked boys just fine.

That was okay with me and right now my heart seemed to have focused on someone else exclusively. Which was the real problem. "I just don't think the timing is right. There's so much going on. If this had happened earlier, perhaps I wouldn't have minded. But trying to build something in a time like this... You know what they say, relationships built in times of crisis barely last longer than said crisis." And yet I couldn't deny it any longer. The surge of emotion as I had been racing through the cave to find Misty, the mix of raging fury, concern and protectiveness upon finding her almost getting killed... This wasn't really an attraction any longer. I had fallen in love.

And I couldn't afford that. It was better this way. For both of us. Not that I thought love could not be a source of strength. But compared to Ash and Dawn who had time to build their feelings slowly and slipped into their relationship comfortably, I didn't even have the time for that. There was no telling when Team Rocket would make their move, only that it would be soon. And even ignoring that, with our diverging duties the times I could spare to visit the beautiful redhead was far too little to build a strong foundation. And a strong foundation and understanding of each other was what every relationship needed. My own past had taught me that painful lesson.

Janine had been silent for awhile but finally she turned back to me with a serious face. "Balancing love and duty isn't an easy thing, I suppose." She laughed. "I'm not exactly the most qualified person to talk about this but if you want to hear my opinion on the matter..." She trailed off, waiting expectantly until I inclined my head for her to continue. "I don't think that is your real problem." I blinked at her, not understanding and more than a bit confused. "Your biggest problem right now is that you still, after all these years, haven't gotten over Rebecca."

Shocked, I jumped up from my seat, staring unbelieving at my friend in the face of that kind of accusation. "Don't you dare..."

Janine held up a hand and I found my ire wilting under her calm and... knowing gaze, biting back my heated reply. "The fact that you are actually getting upset about it right now again just confirms my theory. You've done a good job to suppress thinking about the way your first relationship ended. But I think you never really worked through and came to peace with it. And now that you are faced with the possibility of finding real love again..."

"That's enough." I gritted my teeth and turned away. A fresh flood of memories accompanying the sharp accusation from my friend. The calm from the training had all but evaporated. Right now I was trying hard not to give in to the anger I felt but it was almost impossible. I knew Janine was only trying to help and I also knew deep down that she had probably hit closer to home than I wanted to admit right now. But knowing that logically wasn't enough to quell the emotions. "Thank you for the training," I pressed out, striding away, needing to distance myself before I did or said something stupid that could ruin my friendship, "but I still have work to do."

Janine didn't stop me but I could feel her penetrating gaze on my back.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Episode 04: Cerulean Passion! Will love bloom between Misty and Leaf?

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**Veilstone City, Sinnoh (May)**

A couple of years ago, when I first set out on my journey, I had no idea about what I wanted to do with my life, where I would be aiming for. Personally I believe that's a rather normal thing for a child. Hardly anyone questions it because it has become such normality. However, if you really thought about it, letting children our age tour around the world to capture and battle with wild, potentially rather dangerous creatures could be considered irresponsible. And I had not wanted to have anything to do with it either. Until one cheerful boy came along and before I knew it, I had found myself pulled into this sometimes strange but always fascinating world and I began to find my own goals, my own dreams.

I still would have never figured I'd end up here one day, performing kata in a dojo. Not that I have never been fascinated with martial arts. In fact, I had had a fair interest in them as a kid, before my journey, after that it never really came up again. If that was also part of some destiny, then it was an ironic twist. Not an unwelcome one but definitely one I needed to get used to.

Maylene was a good but tough teacher. Over the last week I had learned more than I ever thought possible. All the prior physical exertion I had done alongside my training had left me far more apt to pick up what the young woman was trying to drill into me. Compared to a total beginner, the hard training regiment I had been part of for the better part of the last year had strengthened my body, made me faster and definitely did wonders for my endurance.

Which was a good thing because Maylene hardly gave me a breather. Granted I had asked her to since I wanted to get the most out of my stay here but it was still a very grueling experience. Training from sunrise to sunset, with only brief breaks when she had a Gym match – at least if she didn't have something for me to work alone on – and to give me time to work on some combinations – especially Naru needed the practice if we wanted to present a good show. The regular training exercises were easily worked into my own schedule.

Needless to say I'd fall into bed and sleep like a rock every night. However, it was worth it. I could already tell this even after such a short time. My body – when it wasn't hurting in so many places – felt lighter, stronger, more able than it ever did before. If this was only after roughly a week, I wondered what I could achieve if I kept this up for a few months?

Completing the kata, I came to a halt, breathing deeply but steadily. Kata were actually a rather pleasant thing to do. Not only did they serve their actual purpose of learning and memorizing attack patterns, the more you got into them, the more calming the exercise was. I always felt incredible centered and focused afterwards.

Maylene had left her seat where she had been watching and nodded to me in approval. "Very good. For someone just beginning, your form is flawless." That might be partly because she had quickly realized and settled on a rather simple and straightforward style for me. *You are best suited for a straight offense. Trying to teach you anything else right now would be a wasted effort because it would take far longer.* That had been her reasoning and I found myself agreeing after a few days of practice. The style she had begun to teach me was rather simple to learn. Of course, it would be a long time until I could perfect it to a degree of where I felt comfortable of using it for real.

"Thank you, sensei. You have taught me well."

Maylene shook her head. "Not at all. I have merely showed you a path. You, however, have proven to be a very fast learner and would make an excellent student if you had the time and ambition." I blushed slightly at the praise but couldn't deny that I felt the same. It was different from Pokémon Contests, a far more active practice when just being the one to give the commands. This was much more a challenge of my own physical limits.

"Let's see then how far you have really come." Seeing Maylene get into a fighting position, I instinctively did the same, not able to suppress the slight feeling of nervousness. She looked rather serious, so I didn't think this was going to be a light spar as usual. In fact most of the time she had actually let either her or my Pokémon spar with me for variety and – as she reasoned – it was far more likely I would end up needing to protect myself from a Pokémon than a human in my profession. But now it seemed this would be the first full contact test against my teacher.

Taking a deep breath, I held close to the focus from doing the kata, then banished all feelings of uncertainty, focusing solely on my determination and confidence. *You are like a flame, May. Always in motion, always burning and unpredictable.* That had been Maylene's words when she explained why she had taught me in this particular way. With a battle cry, I charged forward, forcefully pushing off the ground just slightly in order to rush at my opponent. The first punch flashed out fast and flawless, just like practiced. As expected it was easily evaded but the other hand came already up in a palm strike towards Maylene's chest which was slapped aside.

To a casual observer it would seem like I was just rushing in without a thought or care, a clumsy amateur's approach. And while I certainly still considered myself little more than a beginner, I took comfort and confidence in the fact that this was actually part of the style. An overwhelming, relentless offense. Just like Maylene had said. Always in motion and never letting up.

Spinning, I slipped past a counter strike but winced slightly, then it glanced of my side. Ignoring the near hit, I used the momentum from the spin instead to throw out a fast jab that Maylene just barely evaded, falling back a step. There wasn't much finesse behind the attacks, yet, but that was okay. Right now the most important thing was for the execution to be fast enough that it would be hard for any opponent to counterattack.

Pressing the attack for another full two minutes, I never landed a clear hit, nor did I expect to, but I did keep my teacher occupied... even if I was certain she was holding back on me. That was made quite clear when she suddenly exploded into a flurry of motion I had trouble to keep up with. I DID manage to get in a few more attempts but a short time after that Maylene called an end to the match.

After bowing to each other, Maylene smiled at me proudly. "Really, really good. It is a shame that you have to leave so soon. With a little bit more training, you could actually give me some trouble." I seriously doubted that but felt nonetheless warmed at the compliment. I was sweating and breathing hard even after such a short exchange. I certainly still had a long ways to go. However, more and more I felt that I needed this. Ever since that night after the Grand Festival, when I had awoken with this strange, unexplainable feeling, I was certain that something was going to happen. Something that would change the world as I knew it forever. And with that came the strong urge to be ready for it. And that didn't just mean training my Pokémon even harder.

"Perhaps I can spare a few more. As a Top Coordinator it seems I can arrange a flight rather quickly. And right now I feel this is giving me more than any training I could do on my own," I said eventually and was actually relieved and excited that I could continue this new form of training. I just had to make sure that my Coordinator training wouldn't fall short. After all, I still intended to show Ash and Dawn what I could do.

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

"Starmie, again!"

I clenched my fists tightly, watching the electricity spark across the pool and right into Gyarados. By now I could safely say that my Pokémon could deal with just about any type reasonable well but Electric attacks were still the one big weakness to my almost exclusive focus on Water types to this point. And that had nearly cost me dearly.

In the end I didn't really accomplish anything. Mew would probably have still escaped the way it had, even without my reckless plan and all I had managed was to get Leaf worried. Her control after it was all over was admirable but I could tell that the young Master was torn between being upset and relieved with me.

No I would still make the same decision even now. It had been the only thing I could do in that situation. Not doing anything had been out of the question. What I couldn't forgive myself for was that I hadn't been able to take care of my own problems. She had trusted me by holding off their leader and I hadn't even been able to finish my own battle without her help.

_And I might be dead now, if Leaf hadn't shown up_, I thought bitterly, watching as Gyarados fought against the electricity. Despite how many times we had done this, there was a point at which all resistance training wouldn't cut it anymore. For Water Pokémon needing water to move this was even more of a problem because of its conducting nature. Feed electricity into a body of water and it was pretty much impossible to escape from or run dry anytime soon.

And so the rest of my Pokémon in the water got enough of the wild electricity to have their own problems. It wasn't enough yet. Our endurance hadn't been good enough. That much had already became apparent in the matches I had with Leaf but became painfully obvious during the events in the cave. We had to get past this. And right now this was the best I could do on my own, at least.

The one other area was hard to train in without having an adequate opponent. I tried working on my multi battle skills once with help of my sisters but had to quickly give up on it. Even six on three our skill level was simply too far apart to provide me with the challenge I needed. Neither me nor my Pokémon would get anything out of it and the hassle it was to even get them to agree and put some effort into it wasn't worth it.

At least they had agreed to look after the Gym for a few days so that I could focus on some training. Frankly, I was loath to do so and hoped our reputation wouldn't take too much of a dive but I really didn't have an alternative. Over the last weeks I had scouted a few promising local Trainers who had good skills but didn't have the desire to travel much or far from Cerulean, but the search for a proper assistant and hopefully fill-in in the long run wouldn't yield results from one day to the other.

_And time is something I really don't have right now._ Sure, Leaf had told me about our supposed role in the future, as much as she had learned at least, but the seriousness of the situation had only really set in now. Along with the realization that I wasn't ready yet, not by a long shot. If I had trouble with something as small as this, I wouldn't be of much help to the others.

Where would that leave me? The odd one out again? I didn't think so. I had had enough of that in my childhood and was just now establishing a measure of independence. I couldn't afford to be the weakest link again and I wouldn't. The next time it mattered, I would be ready.

A sharp roar and several cries drew my attention back to my Pokémon and their current peril. With shock and dawning horror I realized that in my brief lapse of concentration, I had missed the point of overdoing it. "Starmie, stop!" I cried out, wondering why my oldest partner hadn't done so by itself... Then again, I should know that everyone would always try their best and trusted me not to abuse that trust... which I nearly had in my frustration and single-minded focus.

"I'm so sorry, guys," I choked back a sob, trying to compose myself. It seemed even in training I was a failure. Leaf had said I had been doing good on my own but I wondered if that was really true. What kind of Trainer was I, if I ended up hurting my Pokémon in the process of practice? Gyarados was worst off. Despite his ever fearsome look, I could tell he was in a lot of pain. The others had slight burns and other signs from the intense shocks that had been sent through the water.

"Training's over, everyone get some rest." Turning away in disgust with myself, I shut my eyes in frustration and equal part resignation. Was that it? Was that the limit of my strength? I didn't doubt my Pokémon could go beyond this stage but could I truly bring it out? Definitely not like this, by hurting them to a point of abuse. I knew I was letting my emotions get the better of me. How could I be someone with the responsibility to save the world? Destiny really sucked, if it thought I could pull it off...

"Va!" Startled, I turned back around and cried out more in surprise than anything else when I got a Water Gun in my face from my youngest Pokémon. Shaking my head to clear my vision I saw all my Pokémon had gathered at the edge of the water, wearing expressions that made me choke when I realized what they meant. There was anger. But not because of my actions, but more so because I was standing here feeling sorry for myself. And there was determination, determination to keep going despite the damage inflicted, despite the exhaustion that had to be there. Because they wanted to get stronger.

"You... You still want to go on?" Everyone gave nods or cries of consent and I felt both ashamed that apparently I hadn't trusted their willingness to grow stronger with me as much as they did trust me and immensely grateful to have such great friends to rely on."You guys are the best," I said quietly but was sure everyone heard.

"Alright. But that's enough resistance training for now. We'll do something different."

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**Outskirts of Blackthorn City, Johto (Mew)**

I was... amazed. That didn't happen very often. Surprised, yes. Shocked as well. But amazed? In all the time I had experienced, amazement was something that happened so rarely I could recall every instance, even from centuries ago. It's hard to get amazed if you saw everything the world had to offer, both in ancient times and the present... and thanks to my wayward brother I had even seen some "wonders" of the future a few times.

Human will and emotion, the drive they could develop when focusing on a single goal, however, was usually the most common cause for all these moments of amazement. Every generation had a few of these individuals that had the ability to affect everything and everyone around them, yet only a few ever reached such a state that they would be forever remembered as legends. I had pretty much met them all and had always been amazed anew at what human will could achieve.

It was these moments that I had to bitterly ask myself if this, that ever present and rapidly accelerated drive to achieve... yes, to evolve beyond what they were right now, was what had separated us from them before the change. That this was the reason why it seemed like we became little more than prey for humanity. We hadn't been able to accept or even acknowledge that fact. What foolish pride...

"Remember, you have to find the right balance. Harnessing the power of Light requires equal part an inner serenity and vibrancy," I continued to coach my charge. Not that it was necessary at this point. She had already mastered this step. In no time at all. The small sphere of white light formed between her hands was the proof that underestimating humans like many of my brethren still tended to do was a foolish, long outdated notion.

Dawn had picked up the basic principles of elemental manipulation incredibly fast. I would have attributed it to her prior psychic training but even that had only been short and basic. That girl simply was a quick learner and I was quite glad for it. There wouldn't be much more practical stuff I could teach her before the seal was released but it would be helpful nonetheless.

"Natural Resonance Energy is not really a tangible power," I explained, both for Dawn's sake but also for Ash and the other Pokémon here. While they couldn't do much in practical terms right now, theory was something they would benefit from in the long run. "I would rather say it is... potential. A measurement for the potential you have to connect to natural energy which manifests in many different ways. These can be divided roughly into these categories. Elemental Manipulation, Physical or Mental Ability and Empathy. Elemental manipulation is the source of a Chosen's power and what binds them to their Legendary counterpart. Unlike a person with simply strong NRE that has developed some skill in elemental manipulation, much of the Chosen's power lies dormant and needs to be awakened. For that the Chosen must pass a trial by the guardian of their corresponding element and be deemed worthy."

"You said Dawn's psychic powers were just the beginning of her abilities. How do they fit in?" Ash asked curiously, "Are psychic abilities an elemental power as well?" I did expect the question, of course. And I suppose it was something to easily get confused about. The borders between individual powers granted through a high degree of NRE weren't that simple to determine. And even if researchers in the old days had divided them into categories like this, a lot about the power we wielded was still a great mystery. Most of the time even we, who had the most practical experience did things more on an instinctual than conscious level.

"Not quite. You already said it. They are Abilities. In this case primarily Mental Abilities. Manifestation of physical and mental abilities are about the most common result of a greater NRE potential in most humans and psychics are about the most well-known. However, very few, in fact mostly those Chosen like you, will ever be able to develop more than one ability. For you physical or mental abilities can – but don't have to – manifest early and for a Chosen are usually in direct relation to their elemental alignment. Well they would be for anyone but seeing as others wouldn't be able to fully master their corresponding element, it would do them no good to even know about it. As your elemental mastery grows, however, so do these abilities. Dawn's psychic powers are something she has because she was to become the Chosen of Light. They began to slowly manifest over the last year."

At this point the strain was becoming too much for Dawn and the sphere slowly faded out. It was already far better than in the beginning where it would just wink out instantly. The control she could administer already at such an early stage truly was amazing.

Of course, what she could and would eventually do with it was up to her. Personality-wise and what I could sense from her emotions, I didn't think she would ever be an outright offensive type. But Light didn't need to be about offense. That was the good thing about our higher element. It wasn't just one thing or another. Whereas Fire for example would always be a primarily offensive element or Earth a primarily defensive one, Light was defined mostly by Purity and Vibrancy. Just what you did with it was up to whoever was using the power. If I had to make a guess I wouldn't be surprised if Dawn would develop some kind of healing ability along the way.

"But what about Empathy then? You explained the other two but what exactly does Empathy do?" my charge asked and I couldn't help but smile at them. It was kind of fitting that they asked since out of all of the Chosen I believed those two actually possessed the most of it.

"Empathy," I began solemnly, "is the true mark of a Chosen. It is not so much a power since it cannot be TAUGHT. It merely is. However, a Chosen that has come into their full ability will be able to make a much more conscious and precious use of Empathy to understand and communicate with nature. This will greatly benefit not only your abilities but even more so the understanding between you and Pokémon."

And it was because of that, that they would make a difference and in the long run hopefully would achieve a true peace and balance between our races. Because without being able to emphasize with each other, any effort would always remain a superficial one. That had been our leader's hope.

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**Two days later (Dawn)**

Normality. I think that's what it was. After all the events lately, after Mew's revelations and with that more and more shocking new information that seemed to feel far too unreal, too out of touch with the way things should be, simple training was actually an act of normality that felt rather calming.

"No, not like that. I know it's hard to undo reflexes but your new form can stand this level of attack much better now. And if you can endure it, you can counter better." There was no annoyance or frustration. Instead Prinplup got back into position for another try. He had too much discipline to get worked up by the slow process. Well, I suppose he was as much aware as all of us that a sudden evolution like this needed time to adjust.

Piplup had always been adamant about not evolving or that's what I had thought it was. Perhaps now I begun to understand that he really didn't feel like it was the right time. He had been ready for it physically but not mentally. Regardless of knowing or not knowing, we had taken into account that he would stay in this form when making the outline for his training. While the evolution line was mostly a natural progression – by far not an excessive sturdiness-for-speed exchange like with Turtwig after he begun evolving – there were quite a few things that had to be retrained.

Prinplup was bigger and sturdier, but that also meant that his timing had to be redone. A lot of my evasion training consisted of reaction. Very close reaction. With the new size, an attack avoided by a hairsbreadth by Piplup, would hit Prinplup simply because of the greater size. That didn't mean he couldn't evade an attack like that anymore but the timing to do so had to be almost completely relearned. He'd get it down, of course. And fast. I had no doubt about that. Pi... Prinplup was a hard worker and I had not even the shred of a doubt that he would be ready in time for the first qualification round of the Harmony Cup.

"Alright, let's do this again. Lopunny, Ice Beam!" One might think that considering what was happening between them, it wasn't a good idea to pair them off for training. However, it had never been a problem before. Lopunny and Pikachu would go full contact in sparring matches as well. They knew that it was necessary. Better to cause some minor damage to the other here than having them more severely injured in a real battle. Besides, all of our Pokémon were too professional and too determined to get sidetracked by individual feelings. A battle was a battle.

This time Prinplup did not try to twist away. It wasn't the purpose of today's training. While evasion training needed to be redone for the stated reasons, being able to take more attacks like this with almost no effort now gave rise to a whole new level of possibilities. Lopunny didn't hold back either and yet Prinplup stood firmly against the rather powerful Ice Beam. I expected him to deflect it to the side or upwards any moment now and as such was rather surprised by what was actually happening.

Slowly drawing the wings he had crossed over each other in a guard position apart and back to the sides, the beam wasn't flung to the side. Instead the energy seemed to slowly fizzle out. And by the time Lopunny stopped her attack, Prinplup's wings were encased by a thick layer of ice but in a way where he was clearly still able to move them.

Inwardly I smiled. I shouldn't have expected anything less. Piplup had always been somewhat envious of Buizel's Ice Aqua Jet. But his body had proven not to be able to handle ice absorption that easily and he didn't want to learn Aqua Jet merely for that purpose. It didn't fit with his style. As Prinplup it seemed absorption did come a lot easier. Not quite without some strain, I noticed, but considering he had pulled it off flawlessly at the first attempt. I couldn't be more proud.

Of course, that hadn't be the purpose behind the training. Sending a mental command towards Espeon, she hurled a psychic blast at Prinplup from a position where he wouldn't be able to see it and with a speed that would leave him little time to react... Enough obviously to turn and bat it away with one of the ice-encased wings.

Putting my hands on my hips at the smug look on Prinplup's face, I made sure to appear properly annoyed. He didn't budge for a moment, then sheepishly shuffled his feet. "Someone is getting a little ahead of himself," I chastened. Not that I really meant it, but I couldn't let the new evolution get to Prinplup's head. While I wasn't worried about it happening with him, Mamoswine had been enough of a bad example. "Get rid of that ice and we'll do it again. This time the right way." After waiting a few seconds in which nothing happened, I was starting to get really annoyed, then realized Prinplup's embarrassment and groaned. He didn't know how.

Before I could do anything about it, two small but precise streaks of fire flashed past me. Prinplup yelped as they struck his frozen wings with pinpoint accuracy and moments later he was hopping around a little at the heat. I glanced towards the origin of the "attack" and found Mew floating there, looking quite amused. At my pointed look, she feigned innocence. "What?"

I sighed. Sometimes I had to wonder if she was really taking anything serious. Oh, I knew it was a mask or perhaps a well-honed honest behavior pattern to deal with the burdens she was carrying, but the small Legendary could pull it off so naturally, one who had never heard her talk seriously would be completely fooled. I decided to play along. "Since you feel like participating, why not do it for real?"

Mew blinked, then cocked her head, thinking for a moment, before her face brightened. "Sure."

Now it was my turn again to be surprised. I hadn't actually expected her to agree! Of course, the more I started to think about it, the more I had to ask myself: Why not? Since she was tagging along for now and we were supposed to be "partners" or something like that, we should start training together.

I didn't have time to really ponder this further since my attention was drawn to where Ash was doing his own training. Frankly his refusal for more than light spars in the last days had me worried. We never had had a problem going full contact in training. It was the only way our Pokémon and we as their Trainers could actually get a challenge out of it. Something was bothering him greatly and it wasn't just Mew's story and its implications. I had a good idea about the real reason, of course, but had so far been unable to find some good way to address it. Mostly because I really could understand why it was eating him up and didn't quite know what to say.

But that wasn't what drew my attention now. I had felt a moment of great surprise. Not in an alarmed manner but it was strong enough that I could even pick it up over our bond with my concentration completely on something different.

"What is it?" I asked as he came over. There was a mixture between excitement, apprehension and surprise I could pick up right away and it reflected clearly in his face.

"I just got a call from Koga... He's challenging me to a battle."

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Leaf)**

_Maybe someone is telling me something?_

After my visit with Janine I had tried very hard not to think about what my friend had said. I knew it hadn't been fair to get this mad and that I should apologize but I feared that trying to do so right now would only make it worse. She'd understand. Janine wasn't the type to let a small temper outburst get to her.

So, instead of confronting her words and my feelings, I had thrown myself back into work. There had been one thing that had bothered me since the near fiasco at Cerulean Cave. From what Koga and Bruno reported, the attack on them was too well-coordinated, not to mention that apparently Team Rocket must have known that Lance was in Johto at the time. That mission though was top secret with only a select few knowing that he was even there.

Which meant there was the high possibility of a leak somewhere far up the command chain. My first investigation led me to Fuchsia City – which prompted my visit to my old friend in the first place – and I had kept following for some time now. Unfortunately it seemed the trail had run dry here. Yes, here of all places. Right in Cerulean City.

_Yes, someone is definitely telling me something_, I concluded sourly, staring ahead of me. Without even realizing it, my aimless wanderings while I had contemplated my next step had led me straight here. Just down the street would be the Cerulean City Gym and that should be the last place for me to be right now.

I had not wanted to think about this but now even Janine's last words came back unbidden after doing such a good job in suppressing these kinds of thoughts and the harsh truth in them. Yes, I probably was scared. Afraid for Misty mostly. I knew I couldn't really shield her from reality much longer at this point, probably not even for a short time anymore after all that happened. However, the other girl had become special to me. I had no problem admitting that to myself – if I did I might not have such a problem deluding myself into thinking this was anything less than... love.

A relationship now would not be healthy though. Not just because of the timing but also because of what was coming. Not only was the time too short to build something solid but because of that, I also feared that a relationship could get distracting in the middle of a tough decision. I held no illusion that the next months or even longer would be extremely trying for all of us. Emotional attachments, at least such that had no time to settle and firmly cement themselves, could lead to hastened and illogical actions when faced with a choice between the safety of the person you loved and the right thing to do for everyone else – which in the coming conflict might as well translate to the fate of the world itself.

This wasn't an easy burden to begin with. I was all for sharing the weight if no other way to prevent it was possible but there were limits to how far I wanted to allow this kind of sharing to go.

And yet, here I was, standing right in front of the place I had frequented fairly constantly over the last months, always drawn back. I should have kept this professional from the start, limited my visits to the bare minimum. However, the beautiful redhead I had met there had always drawn me back, enchanted me before I even realized it. For awhile I had been able to delude myself into thinking I could just keep it at a level of flirting... Love never was quite that simple.

With a start I realized I had my small pocket mirror out and was checking my appearance. With a small grimace and a long suffering sigh, I put the mirror away. "I guess there's no point. Might as well jump straight into the fire." I didn't want to. Logically I knew the outcome if I pushed forward now. Yet, this wasn't exactly the best state of things either. The longer I was dragging this along, the worse and the more distracting it would get.

_You've never shied away from a confrontation anyway_, I reasoned with myself, stepping forward and waiting for the doors of the Gym to slide open. _And if I am about to lose to my own heart, I might as well do it properly._

The secretary briefly looked up from her place and upon seeing who it was, gave me a bright, knowing smile. "Misty's in the back," was all she said and I could have sworn she could see right through me. I had tried to look professional, really. I guess though that the young woman had not only become quite used to my visits but also suspected my true intentions by now.

Nodding to her, barely suppressing a wince at the fact that other people had already caught on so easily, I navigated through the hallways without thought. There didn't seem to be any challengers today. In fact, Janine had also said that there was a distinctive lull in Trainers coming to battle her lately. It was like everything and everyone was slowing down, holding their breath in expectation. And in most cases they didn't even know why...

I came to the pool area entirely too fast. Considering I had just acted without really thinking about it, I didn't really have a plan of how to proceed from here. Coherent thoughts were briefly driven from my mind at the sight presented to me anyway. Misty must have just finished a brief swim herself. Sitting at the edge of the pool in nothing but a swimsuit that had my mind briefly wander down an inappropriate path... And the water was still clinging to her body!

I allowed myself a brief moment of admiring the unexpected sight presented to me since she hadn't seen me coming while rubbing off her face and hair with a towel. When she was done and stretched, her long red hair falling down behind her, my smile deepened in affection and I didn't even really think about my hesitation anymore. "I've seen a nymph," I announced my presence loud enough to get her attention.

Misty's head snapped around in surprise, green eyes widening briefly. The blush was adorable but I felt elated seeing her fight off the urge to cover herself in embarrassment. I'd rather much enjoy the view a bit longer. "Leaf!" she exclaimed, a little off-balance but I could hear the profound happiness at seeing me. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"Oh," I replied, finally moving out of the hallway, a little disappointed when Misty swung the towel around her shoulders, "just work. But since I didn't find what I wanted, I thought I'd pay a visit to my favorite... nymph." This time the blush was stronger and I grinned. Before today I might have been reluctant to come on this strong but now that I had already committed myself, I would at least sink properly. "You wouldn't happen to be free for some time? My treat."

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**(Misty)**

Delight. That would be the right word for what I felt at the unexpected turn of events today. There were a lot of unexpected events lately and almost all of them involved the other girl sitting across from me in the Ice Cream Parlor. This time was slightly different though.

Before then, despite her heavy flirting, it had all been lighthearted and innocent. None of these "outings" could have been labeled as a proper "date" and I didn't think of them that way. Today was different. Not just in the way she had asked rather directly but the whole atmosphere had shifted to something more... serious. Serious and meaningful. Which made me wonder what had brought about the change since Leaf seemed to have been content with keeping things they were, clearly reluctant to act further.

Not that I was rejecting this sudden change. I had long come to terms with the fact that it was more than strong attraction that I felt for Leaf. So far I had been alright with keeping the slow pace, yet I wouldn't reject the chance to move things further along. In fact, after the events in the cave, I had thought more and more about the other girl which had eventual led to working myself into a fit of lacking self-esteem.

The day so far had been nice. No, that would be disrespectful. It had been fantastic. I hadn't had a single day of real recuperation since the cave incident, bouncing back and forth between intense training and Gym Leader duty. The weather was perfect for an outing. We had spent the day doing some shopping – as it turned out we were both in serious need of some new clothes – and had walked along the small river up north that came flowing in from the sea. Conversation had been light and focused on rather trivial things. None of us had brought up the many heavy topics the last months had brought up.

But now, even if the setting was still rather informal, I felt that our date was entering an important phase. While for the most part Leaf had seemed relaxed and easygoing, there was a certain... edginess. Like part of her really wanted to be here but another part really didn't. She was masking it well and had I not spent more time with her lately, I might not have picked up on it.

The real giveaway was probably the location we were currently occupying. Considering her strong reaction and clear aversion of this place the first time we met, it had really surprised me when Leaf herself had suggested it. She hadn't commented why and I hadn't dared ask until now. Yet, the curiosity was hard to deny. I had a strong feeling that I needed to know the reason if I wanted to have a real chance at elevating the status quo of our "relationship".

So, taking all my courage, I chose to be as direct as Leaf seemed to be about many things today, fully aware that the question could potentially backfire. However, it had been her asking me out and this felt like the best time to get to know this charming girl who had wormed herself into my heart a little better. "So, why did you decide to come here today?" I gestured at the parlor in a broad gesture to make it clear what I meant.

There was a moment of hesitation and surely an impulse to avoid the topic. I would have understood and probably not pressed. However, Leaf seemed to have come to terms with explaining herself. "I guess I should have expected that... Alright then. I won't bother you with all the details right now, so this is a very condensed version." I leaned forward slightly, attentive and even more curious. I had really wondered what kind of relationship troubles the other girl could have ever had to make her avoiding the topic so much. Leaf was the kind of girl that I had a hard time imagining not being able to bounce back from a roadblock soon.

"Shortly after I first set out on my journey, I met another girl. Her name was Rebecca. Rebecca Meyers and she was the daughter of the president of GigaLore." My eyes widened slightly. GigaLore was the leading company in computer technology and as such, along with Sylph & Co. had a huge impact on any Pokémon-related technology as well. "We hit it off immediately. She was travelling around in order to see more of the world and get away from being pampered by her father all the time and quickly agreed to tag along on my journey." Leaf paused for a moment and I could see the faraway look in her eyes. "We were still kids back then, of course. But at the same time, we were both fairly mature for our age. Perhaps it was a little too early to entertain thoughts about relationship though."

"What happened?" I asked sympathetically, sensing the other girl's swell of emotion.

"Well, we didn't really start dating official until shortly before my second League Championship attempt. I had fallen hard though. But... then came my victory and what should have been a time of celebration, soon after turned into a fiasco." Again she paused, clearly in need to collect herself. I surprised myself with the bold action of reaching out and squeezing her trembling hand. It did seem to calm her down. With a deep sigh she continued. "Rebecca didn't agree with my decision to decline the Master status. I tried to explain my reasoning to her but she wouldn't let up, wouldn't understand why I didn't feel ready for the position yet. Eventually she told me that either I should accept or she would be out of my life."

I winced. A surge of anger at this Rebecca girl welled up inside of me and I was a little shocked at the intensity of my feelings on the matter. Leaf didn't deserve this kind of treatment. Especially not from a spoiled, rich girl! Clamping down on my anger and feeling somewhat sheepish for it, I gave her hand another tight squeeze. "That's terrible. It must have been tough on you. Did it ever make you think about your choice afterwards?"

Leaf smiled humorlessly. "It wasn't easy. But, no, I wouldn't be able to look into the mirror if I doubted my own decisions. At the time I did the right thing. I just didn't expect the consequences and perhaps the one thing I could have done better was to discuss it with her before announcing it. I think I didn't properly realize what kind of effect my decision would have on her. Yet, when you are in a relationship, every decision somehow affects the partner. That was a painful lesson to learn."

Yes, this had been necessary. Knowing about this part of her past had made me understand something significant. So far I had believed her reluctance to go beyond flirting and showing light interest was because of the crisis we were soon to face. I could understand that and would have found it logically. However, that was only part of it and the real reason seemed to lie within her past experience. She was afraid of making a mistake again, like with Rebecca. Or at least what she perceived as a mistake on her part.

That realization came with another. The realization that I had to do something about this myself. A step I might have otherwise been too hesitant to take, especially at this point already. Gathering my courage, I acted before I could doubt myself.

At the end I wasn't sure who was more surprised by the kiss. Me or her. I doubted it really mattered and I didn't regret it one bit. Any doubt where might have still been left about the direction of my feelings disappeared in that moment and, however brief the moment was, it felt just... right.

When I finally pulled away, heart beating faster than during the most intense battle I had yet fought, I couldn't help but grin at the stupefied look on her face or the way she traced her lips with one finger in wonder. "I don't think you made a mistake. And even if, you don't have to worry about that with me. I'm not the type to question someone's independent decisions."

END 02-04a, click next to continue...


	20. 0204b: Cerulean Passion!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 4

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Heal Bell Academy, Johto (Brock)**

_It should mean a little more than it actually does_, I thought while looking around at the auditorium. The announcement had been rather sudden, yet that was to be expected with everything that happened starting with the attack. I really should feel a little more solemn and... proud I guess. After all many of those gathered... no, make that almost all of those gathered here had been longer at Heal Bell than I have been. And despite that it was me already getting handed my certificate as a Field Medic.

_I definitely do feel somewhat undeserving, regardless of what everyone else says._ There hadn't been anyone voicing their disagreement and somehow I didn't think that was because they all were aware that the selection process was not based on how long you had studied. Knowing was one thing, I'm sure it didn't stop the occasional feelings of jealousy or at least envy though.

When I had mentioned that to Ako, she had just smiled and said that everyone regarded me as the savior of Heal Bell Academy for what I had done during Team Rocket's attack. I wanted to refute that but logically knew that my actions really might have been the crucial ones to turn the tide and allow reinforcements to salvage more than just smoking ruins and corpses. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't deny that.

Being regarded as some kind of hero though... It was a rather new experience but even more so a humbling one. This was usually Ash's part and even his action rarely were recognized by a larger number of people in the past, only small groups, an individual person or no one at all would even realize if he did something crazy that potentially had saved them all. I had a much better understanding of what that felt like right now.

The dean was wrapping up his speech as it seemed. "In recognition of your achievements, both in study as well as application, you have been chosen among many to perform the duties we are all training to do one day. Brock Stone, Ako Karada, from this day forward you may call yourself proudly Field Medic. Always remember what we strive for. To preserve life and help those in need with the skills you have acquired."

Reverently I accepted the certificate, along with the badge that would identify our role and rank as Field Medic. It was a simple enough design based on the outlines of a Cherim, colored in red and white with the symbol of the Pokémon League engraved in the center. Holding both things that proved my success at this place in hands, I felt even more... out of touch. I hadn't expected it to end so fast, even if Ako had verified from the very beginning that I already had enough practical skill to be among the top of the senior students. This had seemed like the kind of place that I wanted to spend more time at. It was what I had always been looking for. I hadn't thought it would already be over after roughly a year.

Following the dean to the edge of the stage, I did feel rather proud though at my partner, fellow graduate and most importantly the woman I had fallen in love with so easily it still seemed like a dream, something that had been there forever but wasn't quite tangible. Ako deserved this. Had long deserved this. And I was proud of having been able to contribute something so that she could achieve her own dream.

"It feels like I've been here for ages," Ako began after taking the dean's place at the podium. Everyone had agreed that she should give a short speech after her long stay here. Myself included. I really wouldn't have known what to say. The time was too short for me to really bond with everyone here. This was Ako's honor. "Heal Bell has become like a home for me and I'm sure where are many amongst us who feel the same. However... There is a time when we have to leave home. A time when we have to leave the safe haven we have all come to love and cherish. Otherwise, everything we do here is... meaningless."

There was a low murmur in the crowd and I smiled slightly. There was no hesitation anymore inside her. I could tell. At least she wouldn't allow feelings of unease or uncertainty hinder her in what must be done any longer. The last days of training had seen to that. This Ako was still the gentle, peaceful woman I loved but she had found her resolve.

"Thanks to one special person, I have realized this." She glanced over to me and I suppressed the urge to blush. Wouldn't do to look too emotional right now. Instead I favored her with a polite nod and the hint of a smile. "Our profession isn't an easy one. In fact it will almost always force us to see the worst the world has to offer. Meaningless battle, bloodshed, death... But we must remember. This is the duty we have chosen, this is the goal we all share. To be there for those that need our healing touch, to mend what has been broken. To bring hope where despair reigns. That is why I can leave here with a clear heart, unburdened by sadness or regret. Because I knew we all share the same dream and that means we will all see each other again someday."

Stepping back, Ako bowed as the student body and teaching staff erupted into applause at the passionate speech. I could tell they had all been stunned by such an expressive speech from Ako of all people. I wasn't. I always knew she had it in her and right now I was even more proud to have met her.

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**(Ako)**

"You got everything?"

I nodded distracted at Brock. The impressions of the "Graduation Ceremony" – if you could call it that in such an unusual, open academic setting – were still fresh on my mind. And now, as we were ready to board the helicopter, my gaze swept back over the place that I had called home for so many years. I had left my home village at twelve. That had been about seven years ago by now. A good third of my life and probably about half of what I actually remembered. Heal Bell had truly been a home to me. Perhaps even more a home than my home village had ever been.

Not that I had forgotten where I came from. Of course Aprico Village had been the driving force behind my stay here. Poor and always ill-favored, whether it be by weather, illness, catastrophes... we had not led an easy life. So when I had received this chance, I had thought that I could perhaps make a difference. Not only to learn to help others with my ability but also to perhaps earn money for the village in the long run, so that everyone else could also lead a more decent life.

When I had come here though, it had been like stepping into a whole new world.

**Flashback**

So big. It was all so... big.

I gripped the hand of the nice man that had brought me here tighter. This place was overwhelming. And this was supposed to be a school? Already from up in the air – a frightening and thrilling new experience as well – I had seen the whole expanse of this place. The entire area was probably bigger than Aprico Village. Why was it that other people could built huge places like this when we could barely get by?

I guess it was unfair to think like that. After all this place was to help Pokémon, right? And I would never have been able to leave home if this didn't exist.

I wasn't so sure right now if I wanted to be here after all. Back home I had barely ever left the village and if I did, it had only been to go into the surrounding forest to collect what little we knew about herbs or to find what little food could be obtained. Much like the rest of the land, the "forest" wasn't very healthy. There was hardly much food offered by plants and trees and what little was there usually would be of at best mediocre, yet more often rather poor quality.

Here, here everything was rich and green and I bet it was full of all aspects of nature. That was actually cool. I always liked to be outside. Nature had something calming and I enjoyed what little I could find at home. What frightened me more were the many people I could already see milling around. To me they all seemed so... pure. All manner of clothes but all of them clearly in much finer condition than we could have ever obtained. They all looked so lively, too. Not expressions on the verge of resignation or already far beyond. This place was buzzing with energy.

How could someone like me ever fit in here? I barely knew anything about the world outside of my small village.

"We are just beginning here," Lance said with a kind smile. "There aren't so many people here yet. I'm sure you'll fit in quickly."

Shocked I stared at the young man. Not so many? How could this possibly not be many? I was sure I wasn't seeing everyone here. But what I saw was easily half if not more than the entire population of our village. And all these for one school!

I was sure Lance meant to be supportive and encouraging but right now I felt even more scared and out of place.

**End Flashback**

In the end I had been able to fit in. Everyone here had been nice and welcoming. Perhaps because most of us here had seen others or even experienced being the ones in need themselves. And we all shared our love for Pokémon and the wish to preserve every single life as much as possible. The League had put a lot of effort into the selection as it seemed. All the students of Heal Bell were unified by the same goal, the same dream. The individual shades of ambition might be different but we all shared the same feelings.

I had to smile slightly at the memory that had begun to rise from all these years ago. I had been a small, innocent girl from a backwater village far away from everything and everyone, ignorant to the world. For the me from back then Heal Bell had seemed like a grand palace and I couldn't have even begun to grasp how big the world itself truly was.

Taking one last look, I climbed after Brock into the helicopter that would fly us straight to our new assignment. Brock looked at me a little worried and reached out to squeeze my hand as I sat down. "Don't worry. You are going to be fine." It was sweet of him. But it wasn't necessary anymore. He had already greatly and decisively contributed to my acceptance of that new chapter of my life that was starting right now.

I had come from the small, isolated middle of nowhere to experience something greater than I had known. I believe it was a necessary step, one that had allowed me to grow, to accept that there was more out there, far more than anyone could possibly ever experience in a single lifetime. And through Brock I had fully learned and accepted that it wasn't something to be scared off.

Unlike when I had first come to Heal Bell, unlike before I had met Brock, I felt no trepidation or unease anymore about leaving this place. Sadness, wistfulness, yes. However, it was time now. Time to take that next big step. Out into the world, out into the unknown. That unknown that held many dangers, uncertainties but also new wonders and possibilities.

"Yes, I will be," I said simply in reply, my eyes never leaving the sight of Heal Bell as the helicopter began to rise above it.

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

Returning home, I had been in such a happy mood I almost totally forgot that my sisters were still home and I had left them in charge for the day. I suspected some annoyance for that, of course, but I wasn't quite prepared for just what was waiting for me when Leaf and I got back home.

The rest of the date had gone nicely. With the ice broken – so to say –, Leaf wasn't very shy to show her affections. Not that anything further happened, it actually stayed with that one kiss. But there had been no hesitation at holding hands on our walk back along the river. Or while taking a small rest on a bench, she had put her head on my shoulder without concern for any passer-bys. I decided I rather liked that new development. It gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling, a sense of being appreciated and needed. Something I didn't exactly have too much of in my life.

I had not wanted the day to end. However, I had also not expected it to end like this. "Just what do you mean it wouldn't be a good idea for Leaf to stay the night? And just why exactly should I care what you think?" I asked evenly, but with a hint of suspicion and rising annoyance in my voice.

"Well..." Violet paused and glanced at Leaf who was starting to look a little uncomfortable at the situation and that was the last thing I wanted right now. "Maybe we should, like, talk about this in private?"

The suspicion became more solid and I narrowed my eyes. "I think if you have to say something, you can do it here. Obviously there is a problem here and it concerns my friend, so why don't you just say it?" I was a little surprised that I wasn't more angry. The direction this conversation was heading, I knew I usually would have quickly given in to my temper. The other girl definitely had an effect on me in that regard as well. I definitely didn't want to make her feel even more uncomfortable and giving in to my temper would probably just play into whatever argument my sisters would bring up.

They started to skirt around the subject some more but when I began to impatiently tap my foot, they obviously got the message that I wasn't too generous with patience right now. "Fine," Lily said and this time I could hear the disapproval in her voice quite clearly. "We've just been talking. And it is obvious that girl is distracting you from your duty."

It wasn't exactly direct but it was quite enough to confirm my suspicion. What really got me worked up was that she had to bring up the one thing that they had no right to talk about in such a hypocritical way. Out of all the possibilities this one threatened to end one of my most relaxing and definitely happiest days in the last months – yes, perhaps years – on an extremely sour note. And I would be damned if I let this happen. I wasn't the little runt of the family anymore and it was time my sisters understood that!

"So," I said slowly, clamping down on my anger. I had to stay calm. Throwing a fit would just prove them right. "Let's be frank. You don't like me going out with another girl." I wasn't surprised they figured out about my feelings for Leaf. They had barely been here, only returning for a short break a little after the cave incident, but I suppose I wasn't very much concerned about hiding my emotional state either. A lot of people in the city had seen us together as well and my secretary might have let something slip. Besides, Leaf had been rather frank this morning when asking me out and even for my sometimes airheaded sisters, the message was quite clear... as much as my quick and enthusiastic acceptance must have been.

"So you admit...!" Violet started, face reddening and glaring towards Leaf.

I cut in quick and sharply. "Yes, I do. What is your point?" I held her gaze, daring a reply. This was quickly getting out of hand and I could tell it was affecting Leaf. Even if I had tried my best to reassure her, the unnecessary but understandable fear of screwing up another relationship wouldn't just go away from one moment to the next. Seeing me arguing with my sisters over her would cut right into that wound.

"But Misty, dear. Don't you think it would be better to find yourself a nice, handsome boy," Lily said and the way she was making it sound so... patronizing, as if she just knew better, threatened the control of my emotions. The clincher though only came a moment later.

"We just want what is best for you, dear. You are still young and I don't think you quite realize all the problems that come with a choice like this." I knew Daisy had wanted to play the calming influence right now but it was having the opposite effect on her. Out of all three of them, I had always thought she understood me best. But right now the kind of motherly attitude, as if I was still a child that needed and could be told what to do, was the last thing I wanted to hear.

Before I could form a reply though, Leaf spoke up, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "Maybe I should go after all. I have a lot of work to do still and..."

"Yes, go. Someone of your stature should really be more mindful of her responsibilities," Violet cut in sharply which prompted Leaf to jerk back a little guilty. That had cut a little too close to home and I wouldn't stand for it any longer.

"No," I said firmly, surprisingly her, my sisters and perhaps even myself. "I think... if anyone should leave, it should be my sisters." That got a reaction alright and I was quick to cut into the outrage and protests. "Or did you forget? Since you didn't want to be bothered with the Gym Leader duties anymore and carelessly shoved them onto me, you agreed to cede the Gym and all property rights to me. An agreement that became fully legal on my eighteenth birthday. A birthday you were too busy to come home to, if I recall correctly."

At least they had the good grace to wince and shuffle their feet at that. To be fair we all had been very busy when my birthday came around. My sisters had an important show and I had been swamped in challenges. That didn't mean I wasn't ready to make concessions. Apparently they couldn't. I had shrugged it off as normal but was still rather miffed. It had been my eighteenth birthday after all!

"So if I say she stays, she stays and there isn't a thing you can do about it. If you can't accept that, then I really have to ask You to leave. After all, it's not like you ever spend much time at home anymore."

"That's insane! You can't throw us out!" Violet yelled angrily. I glanced back at Leaf and frowned deeply. It definitely was affecting her. I had not wanted this to deteriorate this much but despite her good intention of trying to diffuse the situation, it had only made it worse. The situation was spinning more and more out of control. Unfortunately, if I made a step back now, nothing would ever change.

"I can. Don't think I want to, however, I won't stand here and have you accusing my girlfriend," both my sisters and Leaf gasped at this bold statement, "of irresponsibility. I am not a kid anymore that you can push around and frankly I have done more for this Gym in these last years than you have ever bothered with in all the time before that. So don't talk to either of us about duty, it makes you sound silly."

No, this really wasn't the kind of end I had imagined for this day. Despite everything I loved my sisters, regardless of how much they could get on my nerves. And I had never expected them to react so strongly. I wouldn't give in though. I couldn't. If I did now, I would never be able to finally assert my independence and place in the family. And I wouldn't be able to face my own heart, if I lost Leaf over this.

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**(Leaf)**

I bit my lip in concern. This wasn't right. It shouldn't happen like this. Why did every relationship turn out in such a way? Relationship. Yes, I guess there was no denying it anymore and neither was Misty's seriousness about going through with it... all of it. That kiss had been a shock. A pleasant, wonderful shock but nonetheless a shock. I had gone into this with a kind of a desperate intensity, unable to fight my feelings any longer and as such this twist at the end had caught me completely off guard.

Logically I had known, of course, that Misty wasn't like Rebecca. Through her life she knew what it was like, having to work for your respect, that you had to be patient sometimes and that the easy road wasn't always or more like never really the best. Logic and one's heart had little to do with each other, however. Especially when it came to love. The fear of screwing up another relationship, especially with someone I was getting more and more attached to, was something I didn't want to risk. Janine had been right after all. I was running away.

However, Misty had caught me, caught me thoroughly. And I was glad about that.

"You shouldn't do this." I wouldn't be able to stop her. I wouldn't because she knew exactly what she wanted and that this was about a lot more than us. It was also about her own dreams, her own growth and the respect as a Gym Leader she needed to maintain... no, for once fully earn from her only family. That didn't stop me from feeling guilty, immensely so. This was the wrong setting. She shouldn't put her dream on the line for me.

Misty smiled. It was a small one but full of confidence and resolve. Part of me felt pride and warmth because there wasn't any anger or temperament in it, just purpose. "It's okay. I won't lose." Of course, I knew that. There was never a question about that. It was the mere principle. And that wasn't just a platitude. What was to stop her from doing the same thing against someone that could prove too much of a challenge?

"And this isn't your fault. This was a long time coming." And I realized with a feeling of resignation that nothing I said would make a difference. That was just part of her character that I had fallen in love with. I could worry all I wanted but it wouldn't change anything. Misty was standing up for her ideals, for her independence, for the respect she deserved. The only thing I could do now was support her.

Slowly I smiled back. "Then show them. Show them what you learned. But promise it won't be for me alone." That was my greatest worry when the argument had deteriorated into how it usually would in our profession when we needed a way to settle things. A Pokémon match.

And that was the one thing I hated the most. Pokémon battles should never happen to settle personal matters. It was petty and demeaning of the bonds we had with our Pokémon. And Misty HAD made it unmistakably clear in her answer that she wouldn't fight for the right of whom she could date or not, or to settle the difference between the sisters in general. She would only accept the challenge for the rights to the Gym.

Of course, you could never quite put the personal matters out of such a match, not with emotions as charged up as they were. I could tell though as Misty squared off with her sisters in a 3-1, that all her Pokémon were fully concentrated and committed. They knew what this was about, both officially and on a more personal level. There wasn't any hesitation in them.

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**Blackthorn City, the next day, Johto (Ash)**

The small stadium was somewhat out of the way. It was mostly empty other than for me, Koga, Dawn and a few League officials, stadium staff and a handful of people that happened to get wind of the match. Since this was such a short notice and Koga understood our need to keep out of the spotlight right now, this was mostly a dark match. Meaning there was not much of an audience and it wouldn't be broadcasted on TV. The arena belonged to Claire as an expansion and recent addition to her Gym, supposed to give her and her challengers more freedom in aerial battles. It also served as a Master League Arena though.

I had to admit the challenge came as a big surprise. Of course, I had played with the idea of doing at least one match in the Master League before the qualification round for the Harmony Cup. It would be good practice at the very least before the shit hit the fan. Right now I wasn't even quite as interested in it just for the challenge. What I told Dawn when we were camping at Cherrygrove City was true. Even more so now after hearing Mew's story. There wasn't really any time to think about such things as normal battles, Championships and ordinary challenges with something so serious looming up ahead.

I was surprised how well Dawn after her initial reaction was dealing with all of this. Especially since I felt quite a bit of unease about the sheer scope of what was expected of us. In that regard I could fully sympathize with my girlfriend's outburst after Mew had told us her story. The encounter back at Seafoam Islands had given me a first glimpse of what to expect and I couldn't say I liked it. This would be completely different from our everyday adventures and I wondered if Dawn could hold up. And even more so if I would be able to protect her.

"This is a challenge from Elite Four Member Koga! Both combatants have agreed on a 3 VS 3 battle, free changing during the match allowed, no time limit! Trainers, are you ready?" I nodded at the referee and shifted my concentration fully on the battle. I might not feel terribly inclined for competition but this would be good training. It had been a long time since I fought Koga and now he had made Elite status. Seeing how I measured up against one would hopefully show me where I still needed to get better.

"Ash Ketchum VS Elite Four Member Koga, begin!"

As challenger Koga sent out his first Pokémon which happened to be a Crobat. Pikachu would have been ideal but I wanted to keep him out of this... for now. Instead I sent out Infernape. I knew I needed to get a good start and as such had only selected my best ones for this match. This was no time and place to experiment.

Infernape really didn't have any troubles fighting Flying-type enemies anyway and my other choice would have his advantage severely limited because of that type. "Mach Punch!" Infernape rushed in quickly, trying to catch his opponent off-guard. It would be best to bring this to an end fast.

Unfortunately the moment that Infernape struck, Crobat's image became hazy and vanished. Surprised Infernape overextended and stumbled a step, which really didn't happen often. I, too, was surprised by what happened. Considering that I caught sight of Crobat several meters up in the air and away from its prior location, it became obvious that the Bat Pokémon had moved so fast that it had left an afterimage... and I hadn't even seen it.

"Crobat, Mean Look." I grimaced, feeling instantly reminded of my match with Leaf. Koga was a Poison Master, so of course I knew what to expect. In fact with Leaf it was just her Umbreon's Toxic to watch out for. Here I would have to deal with the danger of poisoning constantly and Mean Look was an efficient tactic to maximize the peril for an opponent.

Several more attempts for direct attacks made it painfully clear that I wouldn't get very far with this. Crobat's speed was incredible, even for Limit Break standards. Pikachu could have kept up but just barely. And while Infernape was certainly fast, it fell just a little short. And "a little" could make a big difference on this level, especially if the affected aspect was one of the Pokémon's strongest suits.

Crobat in turn seemed to be content with counterattacking. Of course, since with almost every attack there was the danger of poisoning, I couldn't afford to take hits and as such most of the time had to stop pressing an attack meant to try and corner the opponent into a position where it couldn't get away.

What also puzzled me was that there had been at least two opportunities in the next five minutes where a direct hit could have been possible but Infernape had hesitated just that tiny bit long enough for Crobat to get away again. This wasn't like him at all and it didn't take me long to realize that it had been my own hesitation flowing over our bond. Infernape and I were almost as synchronized as I was with Pikachu by now. Most of the time we really didn't need a verbal communication anymore. That also worked against me in these instances since Infernape must have sensed my reluctance to attack.

Why had I hesitated anyway? It must have been because I was worried that I knew a direct hit would have to count. Meaning Infernape would have to be fully committed with enough power behind the strike to either take Crobat clean out or at least hamper it enough to significantly drop its mobility. If the attack had failed for some reason, that would have left Infernape wide open.

However, I wasn't getting anywhere with this cat and mouse game. Ironically enough neither Pokémon had scored a single clear hit yet – not counting the successful Mean Look – and while I had no fear for Infernape's stamina, I wasn't sure how far Crobat could match it and dragging out the match would only up the chances for a successful poisoning.

Changing tactics, I had Infernape Dig underground. He had gotten quite fast at that and knew what I wanted. As expected Koga and Crobat immediately focused on the spot where the ground burst open, spitting a stream of Toxic at it. But Infernape wasn't there, instead bursting out of the ground a fair distance away, right behind Crobat, spinning in a ferocious Flame Wheel at his opponent. Crobat wasn't fast enough to react this time and the Flame Wheel struck directly...

Then Crobat puffed into smoke. "What?!" I jumped forward, gripping the edge of the platform. Substitute? But when? I didn't see it being set up. My mind whirled and it took me a moment to realize the danger Infernape was in. "Watch..."

"Cross Poison!"

Too late. Gritting my teeth I watched Infernape getting slammed into the back by the attack with more force than I had thought Crobat capable off. In fact the hit was so strong that Infernape cried out in pain – and it took a lot for that these days –, crashing into the far wall of the arena as if he was an arrow fired by a crossbow. But Crobat wasn't done. "Venoshock!" Still in mid-motion Crobat used the momentum to fire off the next attack, hammering against my battered Pokémon, pinning it to the wall momentarily. I could clearly feel the pain through the bond and it was becoming distracting.

"Is that all you can do? I expected more from the Sinnoh League Champion," Koga addressed me directly for the first time during the match and I glared angrily at him. Crobat wasn't letting up on the attacks, firing a whole barrage of Venoshocks at Infernape. And I was quite certain by now the Cross Poison had done its job and got Infernape poisoned. "If you want to fight like this against Team Rocket... then you should better stay out of it completely. You lack the will to do what is necessary."

How dare he...!

The anger drained away as realization began to set in. I could feel Dawn's concern but also her understanding and compassion. Compassion for my feelings about... Yes, that had been it. I hadn't hesitated to have Infernape strike before because I feared overextending an attack and I had not refrained from starting with Pikachu out of tactical reason. Koga's straight reprimand left no doubt or room to shun the truth.

The battle to save Mew and what I had to do, what I had Pikachu do, that was what was hindering me today. I was afraid of my actions, afraid of utilizing the full power at my Pokémon's disposal. And I couldn't do anything about it. Every time I knew performing an attack could have lethal or at least seriously damaging consequence, I felt myself hesitating. Every time I would have that image in my mind about Pikachu's Thor's Hammer literally obliterating his opponent. And opponent that looked just like a Rhyperior, regardless of whether or not I knew what it really had been.

"It won't be a game, kid. It's going to be war and an opponent won't give you time to sort out your feelings. Crobat, Air Slash!"

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**Cerulean City, Kanto, the next morning (Leaf)**

In the end it wasn't really a battle. It was a decimation. The older women were hardly Gym Leader material to begin with – or any kind of serious Trainer material. I believe they had to know that, too, even if their self-image wouldn't allow them to admit to such shortcomings... Self-image.

That might have been the pivotal point of the battle. Misty had begun in a way that suggested she wanted to end this quick and simple. But then Violet had to suggest that they would have to win this battle to "save the image of the Gym". What exactly that meant was quite obvious. It meant this entire situation and their younger sister having a relationship with another girl wouldn't be good on THEIR own image. Even the other two had winced at that comment. Misty hadn't shown an outright reaction but from that point on her team consisting of Starmie, Vaporeon and Corsola shifted tactics.

It was an impressive display of superiority and, while pretty much unchallenged, a great display of teamwork. They had definitely worked hard on that aspect. That much I could say with no small amount of pride, even if I still felt rather bad about the match and the way it had come to be in general.

"You are worth it." I was brought out of my thoughts and turned away from the entrance where I had watched the other three sisters disappear. Misty had reaffirmed her "suggestion" after the match that it would be for the best if they left for now. However, she had also made it quite clear that once they could accept that she had grown up and was making her own decisions, they were always welcome to come back. In fact, I couldn't really detect any bad blood from Misty's direction. There was actually more sadness and disappointment. But perhaps it really was exactly as she said and this had been a long time coming. It had merely needed a trigger, a trigger that had unfortunately been found today, regardless how much I resented it.

"Today was wonderful. All this time we spent together was. I never planned on this but I'm glad that it happened." Misty continued and I felt my own tension and guilt drain away at her heartfelt and honest words. "This is something I never really experienced before and I refuse to let it end before it has even begun."

And neither would I. Looking into her determined green eyes, I felt like I could lose myself in them. It was a wonderful feeling and one I didn't want to miss now that I had experienced it again. No, Misty really wasn't like Rebecca and I shouldn't judge us on the basis of another relationship. I think my heart had come to accept that as well. And with that acceptance an inner peace had come over me. Along with which came a renewed determination to do everything in my power to see that our future would be a bright one. Perhaps I really couldn't prevent the coming conflict, but I could do all in my power to raise our chances of victory.

Finally allowing my own heart to do as demanded, I reached out and this time it was me capturing the other girl's lips in a kiss, basking in the warm feeling of love. Pulling her close, I allowed the intensity of the kiss to become a lot stronger, knowing it might be the last time in quite awhile until I could do this again and needing the reassurance that this was real and... right.

Unfortunately air at some point became an issue and I had to pull away. Yet I held onto the other girl and rested my head on her shoulder, burning this moment in my mind. It would be the fuel to push me forward in the next days and weeks.

"You are going again, right?" Misty asked... or more like stated. There was sadness and longing in her voice but also understanding.

I waited a bit longer before finally pulling free of the embrace. "I have to. Now more so than ever before. I have someone very precious to protect and I'll do whatever it takes for that." Misty's beaming smile made my own heart flutter and returned it with one of my own. I would be leaving, yes. But I would do so with a much lighter heart, regardless of what had transpired last night. And I would depart with the knowledge that I had been wrong. Admitting to my feelings wasn't a bad thing. It had only made me more determined and more focused to succeed.

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**Location Unknown, Team Rocket Headquarters (Giovanni)**

"You understand, don't you? I will not tolerate any further failure. If you cannot eliminate them before the qualification round of the Harmony Cup takes place, I will have to take different steps. And that will mean you are out. Your usefulness is at an end. Show me that you are true members of Team Rocket or I will have to deal with YOU as well."

I glowered at the monitor and the visages of those pathetic excuses for field agents. Honestly, they had seemed so promising at first and they had been rather successful... until they ran into the Ketchum kid and got obsessed with him. It broke them somehow... although I suppose I could see how getting beaten again and again by a ten year old would have that effect.

Still it was no excuse. Had they acted professional, they would have ignored the kid and got back to regular assignments, preferable far away from such an unpredictable deterrent. Instead they did the exact opposite and after awhile it had turned into an unhealthy obsession and an embarrassing string of one messed up operation after another. I should have gotten rid of them far sooner. All they had been good for recently was tailing the kid. And even that could have easily been done by someone else.

"Sir, we assure you, we already have everything planned..."

"I do not care about your assurances," I cut off Jessie harshly and she shrunk back. Good, at least they still had enough respect to properly fear me, as they should. I would give them that last chance, even if my hopes were so slim a success wasn't even in my plans. Especially not if Mew was really with those children. "Bring me results. You know what's on the line. Next time we talk, it better be to report your success." Without another word I cut off the connection.

Worthless idiots, really. I had had much more hopes for them. Especially Jessie. Her mother had been so promising at one point. Oh well, it wasn't like I really needed them. No, I had everything important already at hand. The Mew capture attempt had ultimately caused a minor setback but honestly not enough that I needed to adjust my plans. The agents that had been given Rage Pokémon and went after Mew had brought them back at full force. There were some casualties from the initial attack and Mewtwo's stand, as well as the platoon that Domino had stationed at Seafoam. But production was running high and the next batch was almost ready, even better than the last.

Being informed of the locations and status of the eites and especially the temporary absence of Lance from Kanto had been the decisive factor. I should really thank my source. I chuckled darkly as I did just that.

A moment later, the line was established and showed a beautiful girl around eighteen with long blonde hair and green eyes hidden behind a set of thin glasses. She looked up startled at the sudden call. "Ah, Sir..."

"Do not let me disturb you from your work. I merely wished to express my gratitude. Your information really came through the other day. I am impressed by your hacking skills. Hopefully you will provide us with more useful information soon." She would better. If she knew what was good for her.

My smirk widened, seeing her squirm uncomfortably. I knew, of course, what she was thinking about. "It seems it was your Ex that attempted to stop us. Too bad she survived, hmm?" A barely visible wince but then again, I knew what I was looking for. And there was nothing she could do about it. "Keep up your good work."

I waited long enough to hear her say a quick "Yes, sir" before cutting the line and leaning back in my chair. Yes, the time, money and effort invested into getting a firm hold inside GigaLore had been paying off. That girl was not only fabulously skilled but she would also provide a nice emotional distraction for at least one of my enemies should it ever come that far.

After all I would have to wonder how Melanie Greenday, commonly known as young Master Leaf, would react if she found out that the "leak" she was looking for was none other than Rebecca Meyers. Her one-time girlfriend.

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**Maia's Prophecy**

**Maia: I see, I see...**

**MysticMew: I wonder what it will be this time.**

**Maia: What do you mean? You should already know!**

**MysticMew: Nope. We've got two more possibilities at this point, I wonder what we'll do first?**

**Maia: That should be your job! Why do I have to decide that?**

**MysticMew: You are the muse, I am just writing. *grins* And you are the one who proclaims she can see into the future.**

**Maia: *grumbles* Fine then! Watch my awesome powers! I see, I see, I see in the future... I see, a detour on the way. I see, *gasp* a kidnapping. I see, Ash learning a lesson...**

**MysticMew: *nods* Aha, that one. Good, then we'll do the other one first.**

**Maia: *stares eyes wide open* Yo-You...! You did that on purpose!**

**MysticMew: Who me? Don't go accuse people of things. Who was it that harped on the "awful fillers* and now look. You were running quite wild on this episode.**

**Maia: That's because I AM the Muse. It's my job. You wouldn't even get anything done without me. After all you had hardly half an idea about most of the scenes before you started to type. The way I see it, I did most of the work. So I'll get to decide what's next. End of discussion. Next time on TFSTTM Reloaded: Path to the Harmony Cup! Brock, Ako and May's Exciting Detours. Be there. Read. Enjoy! And...**

**MysticMew: ... see what Ash, Dawn and Pikachu are up to.**

**Maia: No, no, stop saying things that don't make sense. You agreed earlier that we should do it this way!**

**MysticMew: Did I?**

**Maia: Argh!**

**...**

**Narrator: Um... where are my lines?**

**Maia: Shut up! *hurles Fireball at Narrator since MysticMew has already disappeared wisely***

**The Narrator is rendered incapable of doing his job and since his scenes haven't been done at this point, they are cancelled for this episode... and maybe even the next.**

**Narrator: *groans* So cruel...**

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**Author's Notes**

Wai. Done. After Prologue 2 I had been determined but also quite worried if I could do this one better. I personally believe I managed to get Misty and Leaf's interaction far better than before and I am actually quite satisfied. The rest went better than expected as well. A lot of scenes pretty much just popped into my head and developed while I was writing them and often enough those tend to be my best. Often I ended up writing more about one thing than I had planned but it was all necessary. So, in short. I'm quite satisfied with this episode which doesn't happen too often, hard on myself as I usually am.

Now then, there were a lot of interesting developments in this in-between episode – that's why I used the term "filler" rather loosely. Frankly I didn't plan for half of them, probably not even a fourth but they all fitted in well right here. Let's see...

I hope the explanations about the greater plot as given by Mew again weren't too confusing. I'm trying to ease both the characters and the readers into the greater whole instead of just dumping everything on them.

Yes, Ash is going to have a real battle again for the first time in a long while. Before you get excited, don't expect an Arc 1 final-esque experience. This one is really more for Ash to work through his problems. It'll be continued in the next episode and depending how long it gets perhaps towards the beginning of the following... But that will be Ash's party again and I already have a few others things planned for it, so the Ash VS Koga battle will most likely be completed next episode.

As for the main focus of this episode. I already stated that I was far more satisfied with the Leaf/Misty interaction. I hope you enjoyed it as well. As for the fallout between Misty and her sisters... I know it is kind of cliché and you known I usually don't do that. Unfortunately I needed a tension factor at the end and this was the best solution right now.

I have no intention of making this some big family affair, so there'll probably be mending already rather soon. I just couldn't help it. Misty's sisters make such easy targets for this role and I think they had it coming for just pushing Gym duties on her at the end of the Johto arc even though all they ever did was belittle her before that. I think their reaction is rather in tune with what little we see in the Anime of them.

As always, leave your feedback please. Reviews have now been made easier – relatively spoken – by ff . net. Well, I suppose it's debatable if it's easier as far as signed reviews are concerned. If you are still logged in, then it's really a couple of extra clicks less, if you are not, you probably need even longer to log in, then go back to the story chapter... (and really the 7 days log-in is not really 7 days at all). At least none of you can say anymore that they can't be bothered to leave a single line, even unsigned because it's too much effort. The box is right there after you finish reading. Just type a sentence of appreciation or something.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	21. 0205a: Path to the Harmony Cup!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 5

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

I don't really have much to say here. In fact I can actually keep it positive this time and merely give a big thank you to finaldragonquest for your kind review. This kind of review shows that you as readers can give positive as well as well as constructive feedback all in a short manner. Three rows of text and I already knew that the reviewer a) likes my story and b) why he/she likes my story and c) that they are really looking forward for more. It's as simple as that. So, thank you again, finaldragonquest. It's nice to talk about a positive review once in awhile.

Oh, wait. I did forgot something last time. May's age as of Arc 2 will be 16, making her a year younger than Ash and two older than Dawn.

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**Skies above the Johto Region (Brock)**

You didn't get to fly often with something other than a Pokémon. Apart from the League, only those that had the money for it could afford a helicopter or even further along, an airship. While technology was fairly advanced these days and vehicles could certainly be poured out on a mass production level, the pollution laws that had been in place for a long, long time prevented the overuse of technology and the League was very strict on this issue. There were clear standards and an upper limit of what and how many of it was allowed in order not to threaten the environment and habitats of the local Pokémon.

This was something that had been around for ages and while inventors and greedy industrial businessmen always complained, no one else questioned it and no one dared go against these laws. The few who did were almost always remembered as an example of why it was not a good idea to do so.

As such flying in a helicopter – as uncomfortable as the small space might be – was an exhilarating and unique experience. Watching the landscape from so high above, without the need to concentrate on holding onto your Pokémon was something I wouldn't forget so soon. Everything looked so tiny from up here that it seemed unlikely that some time ago I had taken close to a year each time when travelling through a new region.

Since it was so fascinating neither of us minded when the pilot informed us he had to take a detour to retrieve some supplies. Ako was also watching but I thought she was a little less amazed than me. She had flown in for the Sinnoh League as well, so this wasn't her first time. Okay, technically it wasn't my first time I had flown in something either – only one of the few I could actually enjoy the flight. Regardless, she would often make excited comments, pointing out places we passed by and asking me what I knew about it. It reminded me once again that even though we were about the same age, Ako was still rather much like an innocent child to the outside world. All she had ever really known was her home and Heal Bell Academy.

However, there was an honest curiosity now where before had been dread and reluctance. Oh, she had always asked me about my travels and I had gladly talked about them, but it was different now. Something had clearly changed. It would seem the intense training sessions I had put her through shortly before the graduation ceremony had done more than just help her find a resolve to fight when necessary.

I decided that while I had found her innocence in these things cute and charming, that I actually liked her even better this way. She would need a strong will to survive out here in the real world. As much as I wanted to, I knew I couldn't be there for her all the time. That she had become fully committed to this new part of her life now, was reassuring. Even more so when I thought about my trepidation about the future. The feelings of that night still lingered in a corner of my heart. I knew something big was coming. At least I could be a little less concerned about whether or not it might be too much for my girlfriend.

The detour had brought us almost a full circle around the Johto region, now closer to the western edge and Hoenn. Considering the speed we were going, this would probably still be faster than most normal travel methods. Besides the qualification round wouldn't start for another week and a half. Being there a few days early was fine but as it was we would probably be there much earlier.

Glancing to the side, I noticed that Ako had dozed off a little, leaning against my side and couldn't help but smile softly at the adorable sight. Personally I didn't really find the inside of a helicopter an ideal place to sleep. The noise level was far too high for my tastes and the space was far too uncomfortable. But Ako had been up for quite some time. I knew she had agonized over her speech – which had worked out beautifully – and since then we had only had small breaks, shortly after the ceremony and when our helicopter had landed to pick up supplies. I was fairly tired myself but not to a point of real exhaustion.

Deciding I might as well try to close my eyes for awhile – regardless of how much I suspected I wouldn't get any real sleep in here –, I was just beginning to get somewhat comfortable, when the sound of the suddenly agitated pilot could be heard over the constant noise of the rotor.

"This is L0052, chartering supplies and personnel for the HC, please repeat... Copy that. I am close to the target zone but I have passengers on board, I wouldn't... Yes, yes. Well, from Heal Bell... Of course, I will try. No promises."

Carefully pushing Ako in a more upright position, I leaned forward curiously, raising my voice enough for the pilot to hopefully hear me. "What's going on?"

"A distress call just came in. It seems a small area of the northeastern edge of Hoenn is being threatened by a fast-spreading forest fire. Everyone in the immediate area has been requested to land aid. I pointed out that I had you guys to see to but seeing as your qualified Field Medics, well... Headquarters asked if you were willing to land a hand. Since you are new and all, the decision is really up to you."

While I was absorbing the information and weighting on the pros and cons – even if I knew the outcome would be obvious –, Ako spoke up next to me, apparently not as fast asleep as I had thought. "Wh-Where exactly is the fire?" Her voice trembled and I narrowed my eyes when I realized one crucial detail. Ako's home village was in that region.

"Northeastern edge," the pilot looked down to consult a map on his display, "a stripe of wood, otherwise rather barren land. There is a small place called Aprico Village almost dead center of the fire zone..."

"We are going," I cut him off, exchanging a brief look with Ako and finding her anxious, afraid for her home but with exactly the kind of determination I expected to see. _Sorry, Ash, I would have liked to see you and Dawn again but we might be a little late after all. This is more important right now._

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**Opening Theme (Shining Days, Mai-HiME)**

A blue, cloudless sky. Mew flies into the picture and performs a few twists, turns and loopings, writing the series title into the air. The camera zooms in on Mew's face and it looks like the viewer is drawn in.

_aozora ippai ni_

_watashitachi no omoi ga chiribamerarete yuku_

Ash and Dawn are standing together on a hill, holding hands. Dawn leans closer and Ash embraces her. They lean in for a kiss.

_unmei no hito ga anata nara iinoni_

_genjitsu wa umaku yukanai_

The scene fades out from a television frame. May is sitting in front, watching with longing. Naru jumps into her lap and she smiles in determination, jumping up as the scene fades around her.

_hikaru kaze no naka_

_yume no hane maioriru yo_

Misty is swimming in a pool. She stops to float on her back, then submerges into the water. In the reflection she sees Leaf and reaches out uncertainly with conflicted feelings on her face.

_yuuki dashite mirai e_

_sou utsukushiku..._

Misty breaks the surface of the water with a leap, suddenly at a beach. Leaf is sitting on the shore and waving at her.

May is running towards a faraway image of Ash and Dawn with a smile of determination.

_ugokidasu atsui kodou ga_

Ash and Pikachu are running over a plain, jumping over hurdles and Pikachu letting loose lightning attacks.

_ano hi to onaji hayasa wo kizamu yo_

A split screen of Dawn and May. Piplup and Buneary are creating a giant ice stadium and Beautifly is dancing within a Ninetails flames (see Episode 1 for both). Dawn and May are looking towards each other as if they were in the same place.

A brief flash of Brock and Ako standing together with Flareon and Leafeon.

_massugu na manazashi ga suki_

_zutto miteitai_

Short image of Giovanni in his office with a dark disembodied form behind him.

Scene switches back to Ash, arriving at a hill. Looking up he smiles seeing Dawn, May, Brock, Ako, Leaf and Misty standing atop and waiting for him.

Camera shifts up into the sky and from where it fades out of Mew's eye again who flies down and into the prior scene, landing on top of Dawn's shoulders.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Episode 05: Path to the Harmony Cup! Reality Isn't Always Nice.

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**Blackthorn City, Johto (Ash)**

It was turning out to be less a match than a painful lesson. A very painful lesson. Crobat was now literally juggling around poor Infernape, picking him up with air attacks and hammering him back down with devastating Cross Poison and Venoshock hits. Infernape's good stamina and adamant refusal to give in now played against him. However, I wasn't quite convinced that Koga would stop even when it became apparent that my Pokémon had lost the match. Which by this point was probably the truth already. He was making a point.

Both his words and the actions on the field were cutting deep into my heart. I could feel the pain of my Pokémon clearly but what hurt much more was the truth in Koga's accusations and how consequently I was letting Infernape and everyone else down. They trusted me completely and would do everything I wanted because they had faith in me and my decisions. How could I be worthy of that trust if I was so unsure of myself? How could I be worthy if I had to order my Pokémon to use much more power than necessary to incapacitate an opponent? To use enough force to... kill.

The word tasted bitter even in my mind. That's what it was though. The bitter truth. Logically I knew it had been necessary. Logically I knew had I not let Pikachu practically obliterate the opponent back then, Mew, even us, we would very likely not be here. And logically I also knew Koga was right. If I hesitated this much from doing it once, then Team Rocket would certainly get through with whatever scheme they had planned. Mew had made it unmistakable clear that these... Pokémon were so far warped that not even with her full light powers she could restore them. They were more like machines with a feral hunger.

Logic didn't make the feelings go away. Because logic also dictated that if things really got as serious as I feared by now – and Koga had said it aptly just moments ago: It would be "war" –, then this would not stop with soulless, modified Pokémon for whom it might really be a mercy to be released from that state. No, it would go much further than that. And that scared me.

_You are not alone._ I started at the thought. It wasn't just my own, although part of myself was in there. I glanced towards where Dawn was watching with Prinplup and Lopunny out and Mew perched on her shoulder. Then I looked down at Pikachu, who returned the look steadily and finally I focused back on Infernape, my eyes widening as he suddenly batted a Cross Poison away, surprising both me and our opponents. He landed on one knee, panting, wincing from the effects of multiple wounds and poisoning. But he stubbornly refused to give in.

_You guys..._ I closed my eyes briefly, unsure how to describe what I was feeling except for a powerful feeling of immense pride. What would I do without them? Without Dawn whom I loved dearly, without Pikachu, my best friend, and without all my other Pokémon and friends.

They were right, I wasn't alone. And as much I might like to think like that, it wasn't just about me. I wasn't the lone hero and right now I had a feeling that Dawn might be able to protect herself and even me better than the other way around. However, there was one thing I could do and that was not letting my insecurities hinder me from what needed to be done. That was like betraying all the trust everyone put into me. I wasn't a kid anymore who could whine about life's unfairness. I was a League Champion and unofficial Master. I had responsibility!

"You are absolutely right, Koga. My apologies for giving you less than my all."

_And to you as well, Infernape_, I added silently. In response Infernape roared, struggling to stand on both feet, an explosion of flames signifying his Blaze ability kicking in. I knew he was on the verge of collapse. All we would have was one attack. And all we would need was one attack.

This would probably cost the last of Infernape's strength. If it failed, the battle would be lost. All I could feel from my Pokémon, however, was his unwavering confidence. Even stronger than ever after obviously sensing that I had found my fighting spirit again. Besides, it was far more like us. Charging ahead at full power. Koga was a ninja after all. Sneakiness and tactic were his strong suits. Trying to outmaneuver him would in most cases be a futile and wasted effort.

"Now!" Infernape shot forward, still with incredible speed despite the severe damage inflicted upon him. At first though it looked much more like what we had done in the beginning and what had brought us into the predicament. This time the purpose was different though. Intently I watched as Infernape's enflamed fist struck Crobat, once again causing it to erupt into smoke. As I thought, this wasn't just a simple substitution. I had no idea what exactly but the purpose was roughly the same. A simple, physical decoy designed to take a single hit. Combined with Crobat's speed it was almost impossible to see when a switch was made.

We didn't need to see.

"Extreme Blaze!"

Expecting the switch, Infernape used the brief contact to push backwards, flip over and then let out a roar in midair. His fire aura exploded outwards as he released all the stored up power that his Blaze Ability generated into a pillar of fire quickly expanding outwards. Three more puffs quickly showed that my suspicion had been right and Crobat had set up more decoys, hidden somehow.

That left the real one caught briefly in the inferno engulfing almost the entire arena field and battering against the barrier that was standard for matches on this level. But I didn't expect Crobat to be caught so easily and as expected its speed allowed for an escape, slightly worse for wear, signed and clearly rattled... and in the only direction allowed at this point. Up.

"Blaze Cannon!" Infernape was already halfway there, drawing the fire back into his hands, cupped back and slightly to the right side of him, a hissing, twisting and brightly burning sphere of fire formed there. On my command, he thrust his hands forward and the sphere was flung forward, trailing a stream of fire behind it before impacting with the wholly unprepared Crobat with the speed and force of a cannonball.

The explosion momentarily obscured Crobat from view but I was sure I heard a brief cry of pain before the smoke cleared and the Bat Pokémon came tumbling down on an uncontrolled crash course with the ground. The brief inferno created by Infernape had already died down as soon as it had sprung up. He could make it denser and longer lasting but with what little strength there was left and the need to get off the last attack that was all that had been possible... and all that had been needed.

Crobat crashed hard into the heated ground, bounced twice and finally came to a stop with the clear signs of already having slipped into unconsciousness during the fall.

Of course, Infernape wasn't much better off. He managed to land wobbly on his feet, but then almost immediately all the previous abuse set in, made worse by the intense elemental channeling and he fell forward with a defeated but far more satisfied moan.

"Crobat and Infernape are both unable to continue!"

_Thank you, everyone_, I thought briefly and recalled Infernape, especially grateful to him for his perseverance and tenacity. I really should have known better by now. The bond and trust I had with and from my Pokémon that I could always count and that consequently I couldn't disregard and disrespect, regardless of how much I struggled with myself. For them, for Dawn and for everyone else I would keep fighting and do what was necessary. Come what may.

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**(Mew)**

"I'm surprised he is really holding himself so well," I admitted. "At least he seems to be over his funk." I chuckled at the stare from Dawn. "Now, don't get angry. You thought the same."

"You make it sound trivial," she deadpanned. "Need I remind you that the reason for that was because we had to save YOU?" I shrunk back a little in remorse. Of course they were right and I did regret my part in it but... I just wanted to lighten the mood a little, geez... Besides, I truly believed this was for the best. If we had to confront these young children with the problems we had created, then it might be for the best if they realized firsthand just what was going to come. Better have them deal with emotional morality now than when it really mattered.

"It seems though that the general problems with this battle remain the same," Dawn remarked eventually as we watched Gabite and Skuntank duke it out. Or more like Skuntank displaying what I had expected from the start, even if it had the kids so amazed.

"It's a problem for him alright. You guys are used to having the speed advantage most of the time. But Koga's a veteran and he trains his Pokémon the same way he does as a ninja. When it comes down to raw power and ability in a straight-out duel Ash would win hands down. But this is a lot more like he tends to fight and now he needs to adapt and think differently. That trick with Infernape worked. But now he's out and Koga wouldn't fall for it twice anyway."

And yet Gabite held fast. Skuntank was displaying a speed far above what his kind should be capable off. With similar levels of training they should actually be just about even at top speed but the extra ninja training in reaction, evasion and stealth helped a lot and more than once the somewhat bulky-seeming Pokémon managed to sneak up on Gabite, always presenting the danger of a Poison attack.

"Gabite's really motivated though. I think he's still sore about being taken out so quickly in last year's final." I could understand that. And so far the motivation was what held the battle fairly even, managing to block or evade the more critical attacks and sometimes even getting a brief counter in. So far neither side had been able to get a clear advantage. It was a game of patience. Who would make the first mistake? Who would lose their calm first?

Normally I would say that Koga being the Master of this sort of situation couldn't possibly lose. However, Ash was never to be counted out. I had followed and watched many of his battles in the last years and one thing I knew by now was that the boy always seemed to defy the impossible and come up with just the right strategy in a hopeless-seeming situation.

Would he now though? Koga had once again packed out one of his most annoying techniques. Now Skuntank wasn't as blinding-fast as Crobat, so he couldn't use it the same way. But the clones were all solid and it would be impossible for Ash and Gabite to tell them apart. With five now surrounding the lone Gabite, it became painfully clear that if he missed the correct target, it would end very painful.

"What exactly is that anyway? It's not a normal Substitute. They feel much more... real." As expected of Dawn. She had sensed it quickly enough and pretty much spelled it out already. "Is this some kind of NRE as well?"

I actually had to think about that one. "Not really... although, in a very broad sense, maybe. Ninja techniques utilize a special internal energy called chakra. Technically everyone has it, but its different in potential for everyone and you have to learn to use it from a young age onwards. It IS kind of related to NRE but more in a way that natural energy is in everything and influences everything. Chakra is a part of life and as such part of nature. These... clones are constructs made of this type of energy. They..."

My explanation was cut short and for a moment I couldn't even say anything. It was impossible. There hadn't even been a hesitation, so it hadn't been a fluke. Gabite had just charged straight and seemingly reckless at one of the presented targets and struck Skuntank, the right Skuntank with a hard Dragon Claw that had sent it bouncing away almost to the end of the arena floor where he just barely managed to catch its wild tumble. Not quite wanting to believe what I saw, I reached out towards Ash with my power and my eyes widened even further at what I felt.

"That boy," I muttered, stuck between stunned, awed and... hopeful for all of our future, "really is a genius."

"What... What did he do?" Dawn didn't seem to get it. I wasn't surprised. She was showing much promise already but it took even me a good bit of effort to detect the slight aftereffect left. I didn't answer immediately, but kept watching, wanting to know if it was a fluke or if Ash had really just done what I believed he did.

Koga was nice enough to provide me with an answer, obviously wanting to confirm as well if his opponent had a way to tell apart the original from the clones. And he did. The next two attempts ended in roughly the same way, only that Skuntank was more prepared for the possibility. "Genius, really," I repeated. "He didn't just listen in when I taught you. He picked something up."

Dawn looked at me incredulous. "You mean Ash is using his NRE?! How? I thought..."

"Not as a physical manifestation. You guys, both you and Ash, have probably the highest level of Empathy I have ever seen in humans before. The ability to connect, to understand. Together with his dormant Air affinity, he is using this ability to feel out his opponent and through the connection with his Pokémon lets Gabite know immediately. It's rather crude right now but that he can actually do it already without any real training... Simply amazing."

Dawn's surprise seemed to vanish though at my explanation, to be replaced by... pride – which I could understand – and a knowing smile. "Yes, he is. I guess I should have known better." Those two really were close. It made me wonder what would happen if the other factor mentioned in the prophecy would appear. And it was soon, I could feel that.

Pushing the nagging thought aside, I refocused on the match. Gabite had gained momentum by the inability of Skuntank to use any of his ninja techniques effectively. In fact, Ash proved that he had figured out the other usefulness of this kind of perception when Gabite reacted to one attempt of Skuntank to sneak up on him with a high speed, hard counter and a powerful Dragonbreath.

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**Aprico Village, Hoenn (Ako)**

From afar one could think it was some kind of beautiful light show but soon enough the rising smoke and the swarms of fleeing Pokémon told another story. With an almost morbid fascination I stared at the sea of flames beneath, unable to fully process what I was seeing. I hadn't been home in years. My last visit had been quite awhile ago. While I still thought of this place as home, there wasn't all that much that I had missed. My parents had died when I was little, I barely remembered them at all and while the people that had taken me in had been nice, it wasn't really enough to warrant homesickness for a place no one wanted to have to live in unless they had no choice.

And it seemed no one would in the near future, if a small miracle didn't happen. _Be strong, Ako, you can't break down now. Remember you are here to help_, I admonished myself, willing my shaking hands to still and grateful when Brock gently covered them with his own. I had to overcome this. These were the situations I had always dreaded but that were supposed to be one of the main reasons why Heal Bell was even founded. It all came so sudden though and the fact that it was so personal didn't help my nervousness.

Slowly the village came into view. Nestled on the northeastern edge of Hoenn, between Fortree and Lilycove City, it was far enough away from both major cities in the area to be rather isolated. The geography further separated the place. While Fortree and its surrounding area were blessed with fertile ground from which a lush forest had spread, it didn't reach until Aprico Village. No one had a good explanation why the ground was so unfertile compared to the rest of the area but it was like someone had made a huge cut in the land. Trees still grew but they were nothing like those further inland. And despite the proximity to the sea, only a tiny, barely adequate river snaked itself past the village.

The pilot had to be commended for his ability to maneuver with all the smoke and heat. Somehow he managed to bring us right down in the center of the village which had been almost completely surrounded by the fire now. The smoke and heat burned in my eyes and throat as soon as we emerged from the helicopter. I coughed a little but we had had training on how to act in hazardous environment, which had also served to get us used to breathing in smoke-filled air. And if it became worse or we would be forced to get closer to the actual fire, there were breathing masks in our supplies.

We were greeted almost as soon as we landed. I didn't recognize the brown-haired man but he had an official League insignia on his clothes. I did, however, recognize the older woman next to him immediately, even after all the time. Age seemed to have treated her well and one wouldn't think she was over seventy already.

"Ako dear, you came!" Chiyo, our village elder since I was born, exclaimed with delight, albeit it being understandably subdued. I would have liked better circumstances for returning home as well. Nonetheless, my heart swelled a little as well upon seeing the old woman who had always been kind to me and was the first to support and encourage me when I had received the offer to go to Heal Bell.

"Elder." I bowed respectfully. "It is good to see you. I would have wished there would have been a better reason for me to return here."

"Indeed," Elder Chiyo replied solemnly. "It does this old heart good, however, to see that you have grown into a beautiful woman. And it seems you even have found yourself a good-looking man." She chuckled at my blush and Brock shuffled a little before also bowing and introducing himself.

"As much as I hate to rain on the parade," the unknown man cut in at this point. "Time is running short. I am Bryan and in charge of the rescue effort here. As such I am glad you two could make it. Our resources are spread thin as it is with recent activities of Team Rocket. The League is mobilizing as much as possible but what we have right now is barely enough to keep the fire from spreading towards the populated areas. By the time more fire-fighting teams will arrive, I fear there won't be much salvageable left of this area."

My heart sunk at the confirmation of what I already knew deep down. I didn't want to believe it but everything I had been taught at the academy about natural disasters had told me immediately that a fire that had spread to such a size couldn't be successfully extinguished before it had pretty much consumed everything.

"So you are mostly working on holding it off and evacuating right now," Brock asked, face serious and focused. I was very glad he was here. That was of course always true but even more so right now. Brock was rather levelheaded and could keep his cool in dangerous and hectic situations. I was pretty sure I would have been unable to think clearly with my home in such a state if I had come here alone.

"That's right. Winona of Fortree is assisting in the evacuation right now and we should have everyone out of here before it becomes too dangerous but..." Bryan trailed off at this point and glanced at Chiyo. The Elder looked down saddened but both were the silent for a bit longer. "Since everyone is concentrated on the village, relief effort for the surrounding area is almost nonexistent," Bryan eventually continued. I didn't quite get what exactly the problem was with that. There really wasn't anything or anyone of worth outside the village. Or were there still people outside, cut off from the rest?

Elder Chiyo shook her head when I asked. "No, thankfully everyone was in the village when the fire began to spread. And most of the local Pokémon seemed to have fled." That's what I thought as well. Pokémon had a natural sense for impending catastrophes like that and could react to them much faster and earlier than humans. "But... Well, you see. We recently built a small shelter in the forest for those Pokémon that had a hard time finding food or even surviving on their own in general." My eyes widened at that. I hadn't expected something like that. Aprico Village had never had the resources to do something like that in the past. We had always been struggling to get by ourselves with what little we had.

At my astonished look, Chiyo laughed lowly, without real humor. "We all knew how much you loved to play outside and help all the Pokémon that you could, Ako. When you started to send some money back, everyone agreed that one of the first things we should use it for was to help them as well." I couldn't quite suppress a tear at the touching thought and gesture, though it could have also been the smoke getting to me.

Then I began to realize though where the Elder was going with this and my eyes widened. "You mean to say there might still be Pokémon trapped there?" Brock asked, coming to the same conclusion.

"Not just think," Bryan replied and told us that a rescue unit flying over the area had confirmed the presence of many Pokémon, many obviously too weak or injured to flee on their own inside the shelter. Miraculously the fire seemed to have not consumed that part of the area entirely yet. But with every minute their survival chances would drop significantly.

Unfortunately the rescue team was tied up with the evacuation and furthermore didn't have qualified personnel to deal with injured Pokémon, especially injured Pokémon in a hazard environment.

It didn't take us longer than a moment to make a decision on what to do.

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**(Brock)**

"The shelter has always been well-visited. I've just checked a few days ago and I know there were at least a good dozen of Pokémon in weak or injured condition," Elder Chiyo answered my question for an estimate, surprising me both with such a number and the implications. The number was definitely interesting and generally positive. Wild Pokémon tended to be extremely shy and that they were actually sharing the shelter with no obvious sign of conflict was incredible. On the other hand that meant there would possibly be quite a number of them trapped inside. Not only trapped but also in serious need of treatment, most likely before they could be safely moved. And doing that in the middle of a burning forest was almost madness.

"Tell me you have some spare Pokéballs with you," I asked Bryan, trying to salvage some of my initial idea that we should just sweep in, capture those that couldn't be moved and treat them later. Ako and I both had a few spares but with the expected numbers, it would hardly be enough. Seeing the other man shake his head in apology had my heart sinking.

"I'm afraid not. We were not expecting a rescue mission for Pokémon and even if... my unit was called straight from another scene, we used up all of our spares right now." I grimaced. What was the League thinking? There should always be a supply of spare Pokéballs during rescue missions. At least that's what they taught us at Heal Bell. Of course, I realized, ideal theory and reality often were very far apart. We would have to make do with what we had. And it wasn't like I didn't have an alternate plan. I merely didn't like it very much.

"Alright, then we have no choice. I have an assortment of Ground, Rock and Water types. Together we will make an impromptu trench and dam around the shelter. I have no hope of it lasting long but hopefully long enough to give quick first aid to the most severe cases. Ako you will have to do most of the medical work, while I concentrate on keeping the fire at bay, is that alright?" Ako looked nervous for a moment, but then her expression hardened and she nodded seriously.

A few weeks ago, I would have been worried that she wouldn't make it in such a stressful situation but that had changed. Besides, this was personal, so there definitely wouldn't be an ounce lacking in motivation. "Good. Bryan, can you see if you can at least spare us one or two Flying types? It would be an enormous help in getting some of the Pokémon out of the target zone... not to mention getting there to begin with."

Bryan nodded. "I'll see what can I do right away."

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In the end we got a pair of Pidgeots and Winona lend us her Skarmory. Not exactly ideal, especially considering Skarmory would have extreme trouble in this heat but Fortree's Gym Leader assured us it wasn't the first time Skarmory had operated in similar situations. I had to take her word for it and I suppose it would suffice to swoop in, get some of the Pokémon out and get away again.

We didn't have time to wait for more. After making the necessary alterations to my team, we set out immediately. The Pidgeots were fast and adapt to fly even in the heat. Reaching the target zone in no time, it became quite clear that we would have never made it with the helicopter. The fire was too high and dense here and it was more than just a small miracle that the shelter hadn't burned down. The cause for that was quite amazing. Some courageous Pokémon were actively holding off the fire.

There was a pair of Azurill, an Azumarill and three Lombre. Good, that should actually help. Especially after taking one look at the structure. It was mostly solid wood – ones of better quality than found around here – and already quite blackened in many areas, showing that the "defenders" probably had to extinguish flames very quickly quite a few times. The fire alone wasn't the only problem. A random spark could easily set the whole thing off. There wasn't any time to lose.

As soon as the Pidgeots brought us down, we immediately split up to our assigned tasks. Ako moved towards the shelter for a first assessment of the situation and the injuries we were dealing with. That was standard procedure in such a situation and pretty much common sense. Blindly starting to heal and treat would be inefficient. The ones that really needed it would have to be first. Especially with Ako's powers – and she wouldn't get around not using them at least in small amounts –, wasting them on those that didn't absolutely need it, would quickly turn disastrous.

What caught my attention briefly was that there was an actual Tropius among the Pokémon here which considering how Ako talked about this region was rather unlikely to happen. It was obviously mildly hurt and Ako had started with treating it immediately. Which was a smart choice. Tropius' size alone would be enough to help transport some of the bigger Pokémon or a lot of smaller ones out of the fire zone easily.

Leaving Ako to her task, I called out my Pokémon. Marshtomp, Ludicolo and Croagunk joined the other Pokémon in holding of the fire while Onix and Golem made quick work to dig as deep a trench around the shelter as possible. With both of them strong and big enough, this didn't take long thankfully, yet every moment seemed like a small eternity.

When they were done and I had the Water Pokémon start shooting water into the trench – which WOULD take longer to fully fill up –, I turned to Ako to see how she was doing. I had Chansey assisting her and her own Blissey and they were all hard at work. Already the Pidgeots and Skarmory were taking out the first ones, but only one at a time. I could only assume Ako deemed it too dangerous to pack more than one on each Flying type, which meant they weren't in a condition to properly secure themselves... which in turn meant pretty much all of them that weren't actively helping with the defense were in bad shape.

I grimaced, but focused back on my own task. The Lombres had joined into the effort of filling the trench after realizing we were really there to help and now they were just about done. Onix and Golem had already started to dig into the earth again and raise a small but hopefully short-term effective wall of earth that even in the worst case scenarios should give us a few more minutes.

Hopefully it would be enough.

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**Blackthorn City, Johto (Dawn)**

Now that Mew had pointed it out, I was trying to perceive as well what Ash was doing. In fact, I shouldn't be surprised that he could use it as well. Once you knew what you were doing, sensing natural energy wasn't that hard. Harnessing was the real challenge. Just using it as a sort of sensor should actually not be that hard.

Of course, Ash didn't have any psychic abilities and Mew couldn't quite help him actively as she could for me. That he had learned to do so in this short time on nothing but theoretic explanation was definitely amazing. If anyone could pull it off though, it was Ash. He was after all the same guy that took my initial spin idea and made it into a very effective battle move, not just for evasion but in combination with other techniques as well. Ash was the epitome of adaption, something I had come to admire very quickly. No matter the situation, he could find a way to use it to his advantage within a far shorter time than even most above average Trainers could ever hope to.

This was just another example of his skill. I hadn't even known he had experimented with this. And to come so far on his own, in such a short time... Mew was right, it was nothing short of genius. Not the kind that required a high grade of intelligence but one who worked hard for it and learned from repeated practice as well as intuition.

Prinplup and Lopunny cheered loudly when the Dragonbreath counter struck. I felt the briefest of flickers in my perception and decided to stop trying for now. I clearly needed more practice and it served no purpose right now. "That one had to hurt," I commented and immediately noted the sparks coming from Skuntank. "And not just that."

"Yes, this will significantly cut down Skuntank's speed," Mew finished my thought. "Now, he needs to press the advantage before Koga recovers and comes up with a new strategy." There was no need to say it though. I knew that best. Koga had already proven to be a very apt strategist. It wasn't just the strange techniques but their precise application as well. Ash was a master himself when it came to battlefield strategies but in Koga he had definitely found at least an even match.

And Ash knew that, too. Gabite immediately pressed the advantage. All throughout it Ash kept up a strong concentration and every attempt to confuse Gabite was met with precise attacks, shattering any illusions, diversions or other such skills. The two of them didn't give their opponents a moment to breathe, keeping up a relentless attack. I bet Koga thought Gabite had to tire out at some point. I knew better after many training sessions with the dragon. Greatly motivated, Gabite had thrown himself into training over the last year. It was actually a small surprise he hadn't evolved again yet, even if dragon evolution was usually slow going. However, even without that, he had developed a trait that had become one of his strongest suits. Stamina

Now, with Skuntank's speed greatly reduced because of the paralysis, Ash had the advantage and Gabite kept up a relentless attack that kept his opponent constantly on the defense. That didn't mean it was only a matter of time now. Koga wasn't elevated to an Elite Four member for nothing if his ninja skills were all he had. Even weakened like this, his Pokémon kept up and got several attacks of his own in, now that the match had degenerated more into a full-on fight. Compared to Crobat, Skuntank was far more sturdy as well and these poison attacks had to hurt...

Gabite just kept going right through them. Dual Chops and Dragon Claws hammered relentlessly into Skulltank's defense. So far Ash and Gabite kept to just that, though. I knew Gabite could do more. Obviously they were waiting for just the right moment to finish off their opponent once and for all.

We didn't have to wait long. Digging quickly under a Toxic shot, Koga was this time on guard not to react too prematurely. He ignored the first two holes erupting without Gabite bursting from the ground, then Skuntank spun as the small dragon finally emerged, only to perform a fast Sucker Punch with its front leg of all things! I smirked though, already sensing what was coming.

The punch passed right through Gabite and caused Skuntank to stumble in surprise. Even as Koga momentarily lost his cool, shouting "Double Team?" in clear surprise, Gabite struck from below.

"Earth Power!" Even if Skuntank had not been off balance, I wondered if he could have prevented the pillar of powerful energy barreling upwards out of the earth from shooting him high up into the air. "Follow it up with Draco Meteor!" Gabite followed directly after his first attack, the sphere of dragon energy already prepared and then launched after his opponent.

Just like in the last battle, Koga's Pokémon was engulfed by a big explosion. Yet, Ash wasn't finished and didn't want to leave things to chance. The moment, Skuntank was visible again, Gabite had flashed upwards and above the weakened Pokémon, curving around and crashing into Skuntank with an aerial variant of Dragon Rush.

Skuntank was shot down like something loosened from a slingshot, creating a deep crater from the sheer force of the impact. However, Gabite hadn't gotten off unscathed, wincing suddenly and nearly losing control over his own descend. It couldn't be the attacks. None of them had any recoil properties. Dragon Rush in the air was tough to perform but Gabite could do it to perfection and I had seen no flaw in the execution. So what had happened?

"Aftermath," Mew supplied the answer and I winced. It was a small miracle then that Gabite was still standing after he was declared the winner. He had taken quite a beating himself after all. And Aftermath had the nasty side effect of draining roughly a quarter of the Pokémon's maximum strength that had taken it down.

"Well, he won at least. Gabite will definitely be happy about that," I tried to keep the positive in mind. Perhaps it was more to reassure myself. Both battles had been so close, so evenly matched. So this was the level of a Master League battle? It was already easily as intense as Ash and Leaf's battle a year ago. At this point, individual attributes like strength, speed and endurance didn't really make that much of a difference anymore. It all came down which side – Trainer and Pokémon – could utilize what they had best.

"Hmm... Now that's going to be interesting." I had to agree with Mew once again, seeing Koga call out Ninjask. If Crobat had been fast and Skuntank far faster than one would expect of its kind, Ninjask would be even worse! It wasn't surprising that Ash immediately recalled Gabite for a rest and Pikachu took the field.

I reached out briefly to see how Ash was holding up. But even with Pikachu now directly participating in the battle, the earlier doubt and hesitation was gone. There was only a strong confidence and a burning resolve left. I still had to wonder if even Pikachu could keep up with Ninjask?

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**(Pikachu)**

This was an impasse. Yet again, I might add after the previous two battles. Honestly had Ash sent me in first against Crobat, I think that Infernape could have done better in this one. He could cover a broader range with his fire attacks and Extreme Blaze could have been even more useful here.

That didn't mean I had no chance. It was just... strange. I was so used to being faster than my opponent that it was so very bizarre that I was facing an opponent that already outclassed me in the beginning and as the match dragged on only got worse with Speed Boost kicking in periodically.

Which ironically didn't really help Ninjask as much as he wanted since it wasn't getting through the aura of electricity I had drawn tightly around myself, making all direct physical contact a very risky and near suicidal maneuver to begin with considering the density of the aura and the raw power of the voltage.

I would have almost counted that as a good sign since, as long as I could concentrate fully on that, I could keep this going far longer unlike than used as an offensive augmentation. However, Ninjask's speed wasn't just insane, it allowed the damn, annoying, irritating bug to constantly seem to teleport right in front of me – just close enough not to get in reach of my aura – and then let off an insanely fast Fury Cutter that even I had trouble even following. The truly frightening thing was that the execution was fast enough that Ninjask's claws were merely a little singed after every attempt instead of totally disintegrated by my electric barrier and thus they actually managed to connect.

The only good thing was that Ninjask hadn't so far tried that with a different attack. Hopefully because it couldn't and not because of keeping me in false security. Okay, there was another good thing. I hadn't been quite sure before how Ash and Gabite had done it, but now I did. Ash's sensory input was immensely helpful once I got used to it in predicting and at least averting the occasional Struggle Bug that came shooting out of nowhere and that I really didn't want to be hit with. Already I had enough of a tough time to prevent Koga's tactic and interrupt random fast executions of Sword Dance with a quick lightning strike. If these Fury Cutters got any stronger I would really be in trouble.

Frowning, I looked around covertly when I realized no new attack had been coming for some time. And neither had Ninjask been attempting to raise its attack power. So where was it? This was so very frustrating. At this point all I could do was rely on Ash's help to pin down my opponent's location. I definitely had gotten a whole new understanding for how my opponents felt when I really got serious.

_Underground._ It was less a conscious thought than a sense of direction racing through my bond with Ash. I resisted the urge to swear and give away that we were on to our opponents. There was no outward giveaway. Heck, there wasn't even a hole – anymore – to signify where Ninjask could have buried. How long had it been at this?

It didn't matter. This time I felt the command more clearly and grinned inwardly. Closing my eyes I let my awareness drift. What Ash did wasn't all that hard, especially for a Pokémon, but it wasn't easy to do when you were the one directly in the middle of the fight. Connecting with my best friend and strengthening his own perception, I finally pinned down Ninjask moving in on my position. Fast, rapid movements that one wouldn't associate with a Pokémon digging underground because the sheer speed was something more for already high-speed aerial battles.

Patiently I waited while drawing my aura inwards further, subtly channeling the highest amount towards my tail. Exactly at the moment when Ninjask accelerated upwards in a furious charge towards the surface and my position, I jumped. My own vast experience with movement at high speed had taught me one thing. Regardless how nimble, flexible and thus apt at performing sharp turn maneuvers at impossible speeds you were, there were times than the body just couldn't react fast enough anymore. Ninjask had accelerated so harshly, I knew it wanted to use the momentum from such high speed to boost the power of its attack. A good idea.

Unfortunately our opponents had not counted for us to actually anticipate, prepare and counter attack in the split second Ninjask split the ground with the sound of several sonic booms. My tail came down with full precision. Yet, even then I knew I just grazed my opponent... Which was inconsequential. At this level of speed the sudden counter force served to not only strike several thousand volts of electricity through Ninjask but also to send it careening off to the edge of the arena.

"Volt Switch!"

Blinking in surprise, already in mid-motion to press the attack before Ninjask could recover, I nonetheless followed the command, instinctively trusting Ash. Sensing his intentions to prioritize making sure Ninjask stayed in place a little longer over causing as much damage as possible, I made the actual impact of a half dozen lightning strikes more precise and paralyzing than really damaging, then turned back and less than a second later, skidded to a halt next to the edge of the arena.

Already Gabite sprung from his Pokéball before I came to a full stop. "Gabite, now, Sand Tomb!"

Ah. That's what he had in mind. What followed was an about thirty seconds lasting slugfest. Sand Tomb might not affect Ninjask physically but kept it in place for the follow-up, consisting of a multitude of certainly very painful Rock Tombs that served the extra purpose of bringing down Ninjask's speed to more manageable levels. Unfortunately Gabite really had been a shred away from collapse after the last fight and had barely recovered enough. As such when Ninjask finally forced out a Bug Buzz between Gabite's raging assault, it struck hard and right into Gabite's face. I winced in sympathy but knew there was no time to waste another thought on my teammate. It was now up to me that his efforts weren't wasted.

I didn't look towards Ash as I raced forward, pushing out my elemental power to the max. However, I did try to get a sense of what he was feeling and if he really wanted what I thought he did. I hadn't expected to use it today, not in the state that Ash had been in before the match. Yet, there was none of that left and only one echoing reassurance. _Do it._

And I began setting up for Thor's Hammer.

END 02-05a, click next to continue...


	22. 0205b: Path to the Harmony Cup!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 5

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Outside of Aprico Village, Hoenn (Ako)**

I was seriously glad to have Blissey with me again. She had been a gift from the academy for my high grades years ago and while we did understand each other very well, she was often more useful helping out in the main medical center of the academy. Back at Heal Bell I had never had a problem leaving her there for extended periods of time but this wasn't training anymore. This was real.

My heart was hammering surely, even if I couldn't hear it over the hissing and crackling of the inferno all around us. Just as I had suspected. Real situations were scary after all, incredibly so. I had gotten a glimpse of that during the raid but it was hardly long enough to leave a strong impression and I hadn't been quite that involved in the main action.

"There you go," I said, pulling my hands back from the Zigzagoon. He was still rather weak, yet there was no longer any danger in moving him. All of Brock's and my spare Pokéballs were used up already. I still had four in reserve, for absolute emergencies but it seemed like we might actually make it. Initially I had been surprised and very worried at the great number of Pokémon gathered in the small structure. I could only imagine that many of them had come to see the place as a kind of secure and safe zone and had almost instinctively come here instead of pursuing any other means to escape.

As expected there were a lot of small to heavy burn wounds, some of them barely hanging on as it was when we had arrived. Those had been the first to go. A quick glance had told me immediately that in the more severe cases vital organs had obviously been damaged and while I could have healed that, it would have left me drained after the first two or three patients.

Zigzagoon gave my fingers a small lick which had me smile tightly despite the situation and then climbed onto Swellow who had been going back and forth for the last ten or so minutes. I remembered both of them – Swellow had still been a Taillow then and Zigzagoon just a baby fresh out of its egg. And it seemed they remembered me as well.

That I hadn't expected and it left me deeply touched. I hadn't thought that my presence had made enough of an impact on the local Pokémon for most of them to almost instantly recognize me after all those years. Sure, I had tried to help out where I could, to the best of my meager capabilities, even if it was just simply being there. I didn't think I had really made much of a difference...

It was unimportant now. That most of them recognized me, had made the organization of the rescue effort that much smoother. Other than Swellow, there were a pair of Xatu's and a Pelipper – though I had only a vague idea how and why either of them would be in this area or region altogether – that were readily helping out. Those three weren't exactly the biggest and most efficient carriers, yet there were a lot of smaller, weak Pokémon here and each of the three fliers could at least carry one of them on their own.

Taking a few longer breaths through my breathing mask before tugging it away again – the air was hard on the lungs but it was still barely bearable, so there was no point in wasting the limited supply in the masks until absolutely necessary –, I took that time to see how Brock was doing. The improvised trench and dam were still holding. The defending Pokémon had jumped on the raised earth wall and were tirelessly shooting Water attacks into the flames. They weren't a professional firefighting squad, however, they made up for it with sheer tenacity. Almost fifteen minutes had gone by since we arrived and the ones that had already been here must have kept this up for a lot longer already.

It wouldn't last though, I knew. Not much longer. And then there was only the water trench and the earth wall. With that much fire though, the makeshift barriers wouldn't last long. Brock knew that, too, and his Onix and Golem were already hard at work creating a second, higher wall. Even if that would only bring another couple of minutes, in the end that could make the difference.

Leaving them to their task, I turned back to my own. I would have treated the Altaria – a truly rare sight for this area – almost immediately, considering the dire need for more rescue fliers but it had only come in a few minutes ago, more like almost stumbling out of the sky with a burned wing. It had also been rather agitated and I feared that it might not listen or do something rash, so I had Genki talk to it... him, I noticed upon closer examination. It seemed Genki had managed to calm him down a little and the almost majestic-looking Pokémon watched me intently.

Despite knowing I was nearing my limit, I channeled a little more of my power and focused on Altaria's wing. Even if he didn't end up helping, having him able to fly out on his own was a much better option. There was also something about this one that I couldn't quite place my finger on. I had been curious about the Altaria right away, yet that hadn't been solely for its rarity and thus a speculation on possible reason for why it was here.

The burn was treated quickly. It wasn't too deep and soon enough Altaria was happily flapping his wings again. He looked at me gratefully and I also saw a bit of affection like in the other Pokémon's eyes that had recognized me from my childhood. Before I could think about it further though, Altaria gave a sharp cry and launched himself into the air. I was a little disappointment but that quickly gave way to shock, seeing him aim further inwards, towards where the fire was already even higher and stronger.

"W-Wait!" I called out but it was futile I knew. Not only wouldn't he hear me anymore in all of this, but there had also been deep worry and determination in his eyes. Whatever had him so agitated had to be important enough to be ready to risk his life. A mate, perhaps? Children? That seemed to be the most likely reason.

I still couldn't quite put my finger on why Altaria had seemed so... familiar. Yes, that was it. Was it one of those I had known as a child? But I didn't recall there ever having been one – I was sure I would remember a unique Pokémon like this – and none of the others had invoked such a strong feeling in me.

_Of course!_ Why hadn't I remembered earlier? He had been more or less my best friend back then after all. He had always been a rather sickly Swablu when I had been last here. Ever since the day I had nursed him back to health that one time, we had become good friends. It was perhaps the one, closer connection I had ever had to anyone as a child, perhaps the only thing I could call a friendship. Not being able to see him anymore after leaving Aprico Village had been hard and perhaps I had subconsciously began to push away the memory so that it wouldn't make me sad. After all, I had still been mostly a child when leaving for Heal Bell – even more so than most other kids who were already on their Pokémon journeys. I suppose a reaction like that was normal.

But now he was all grown up and I had just let him fly straight into danger! What should I do? Looking around, I noticed to my relief that those needing immediate treatment were all gone or in the process of being rescued already. What little was there Chansey and Blissey could handle on their own. Besides, I had almost exhausted my powers and my supplies had run dangerously low, there was little else I could do.

I knew it was foolish almost immediately. But the reawakened memories of my friendship with the other Pokémon dominated almost every other thought at that moment. Ignoring Genki and Blissey's outcry, I jumped from the shelter and started to scramble over the earth wall as soon as I could manage. Perhaps I wasn't the most physical active but the academy made sure we kept in shape.

"Ako, stop! What the hell are you doing?" Brock called after me worried, confused and angry. I had never heard him curse.

But I couldn't stop. I had spotted Altaria diving back into the sea of flames just a short distance away. With some luck I should be able to actually make it. That was the least I could do after forgetting about my old friend for all this time. Pausing for a moment, I looked back at my boyfriend and tried to convey to him how important this was for me. "I'm sorry, Brock, but I've got to help him."

Not waiting for a reply, I took a leap of the wall and then over the trench, ignoring Brock's calls.

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Thinking back on my actions, I might have been more than just a little reckless. Much later I still couldn't quite believe I did it or that I had come out alive and relatively unharmed all things considering. Most of this certainly had to do with the Azumarill that had jumped after me and saved me from being burned to a crisp within the first minute. It didn't make an attempt to stop me though and I was silently grateful when it stuck with me all the way towards where I had seen Altaria go down.

_Idiot, that was so stupid_, I chided myself as I raced through the raging flames, barely evading falling branches or entire trees that had become flaming missiles of death. If not for the breathing mask I was sure I would have been short on air already and the intense heat burned my eyes. I could hardly see in front of me and was mostly running on instinct. Instinct and memories that had begun coming back once I had remembered my old friend again. I knew the place where Altaria had gone down. I knew what was there and was absolutely sure that was where I had to go.

And that turned out to be the truth. The old oak tree, perhaps the most sturdiest and vital thing that had ever grown here, was barely hanging on. Almost all of the branches had been burned off already. In fact the entire crown was all but gone, leaving only the mighty stump, blackened and already burning in some places. I felt a moment of regret at seeing the place where Swablu and I had liked to play so often in such a state but there was no time to mourn.

It took me a few moments to blink back the stinging tears in my eyes and survey the area more closely. Once I finally succeeded, I saw them and found my earlier assumption to be fully accurate. There was my old friend but also another Altaria huddled over two small baby Swablu.

The by now familiar sound of wood snapping and falling alerted me immediately, yet unfortunately that recognition took a moment too long and I could only stare horrified and helpless as one of the few remaining other trees in the area began to fall towards the two Altaria and their children. There wasn't any time to react. My hand came out in a desperate, help- and useless attempt to reach out to them... and then a powerful barrier sprang up and the tree impacted upon it with a loud bang.

Transfixed I watched Altaria – my old friend that was – visibly straining, definitely still weak from the injury and then flying over the flames again, and trying to protect his family. For a moment I actually believed he would make it. Then a stray enflamed branch shot past out of nowhere, barely nicking him in the side. However, it was enough for a brief lapse in the intense concentration. The barrier wavered for a moment and Altaria collapsed. To both my amazement and horror he somehow managed to give the large tree a last push, diverting its fall slightly before the barrier collapsed. That ensured his mate's and children's safety, unfortunately it also left him still halfway in its path.

"No!" I exclaimed, coming out of my shock and racing forward. Azumarill launched another water salvo at the tree, quickly dosing the fire while I fell to my knees next to my friend. I wouldn't have ever needed to study at Heal Bell to see that there would be nothing I could do for him. _No, this isn't fair. I just remembered!_ I raged silently, desperately trying to find some solution but knowing in my heart already it wasn't enough.

But I couldn't give up. Not here, not in this situation. Somehow I managed to drag Altaria out from under the fallen tree. Placing my hands on where the tree had struck and leaving much of his body and insides almost squished beyond recognition, I tried to call up on my powers. Several long seconds passed... but nothing happened. It wasn't working. It wasn't working because I had all but exhausted my power back at the shelter. I tried again and again but it wasn't any good.

This time the tears had nothing to do with the heat. "I'm sorry, so sorry." Why was I so weak? After all the time Brock had invested in me, I couldn't even protect and help a single friend. Was that all I could do in the end? Maybe I really wasn't cut out for this...

"Al... Altaria..." I glanced down through my tear-strung eyes and saw him look directly at me. I couldn't clearly describe it but it was like a warm, comforting presence brushing against me inside my head... no, more like inside my heart. I could feel the happiness expressed at seeing me again, the love for his mate and children and as such the absolute lack of regret for giving his life to protect them. But I also understood what he wanted from me, especially from me, as his friend of old.

I glanced at his mate, having knelt down next to me, then back at my friend. "I understand. I promise to take care of them." And that was a promise I had to hold. Already I had failed him. If it was the last thing I did, I would honor his dying wish at least.

Altaria gave the best equivalent of a grateful smile he could manage, then... his body went still.

Time for grief, however, was something not allowed to us. The horrible loud groaning sound had me whip around, only to see the old oak tree had finally relented its struggle and the mighty stump was caving... right on top of us.

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**(Brock)**

_Keep cool, Brock. Focus on the task._ That was easier said than done. My heart felt like it had been shock frozen by an Ice Beam going on for half an hour. Again and again my eyes were drawn to where Ako had vanished into the fire. What had she been thinking? I knew she could be a little reckless at times when she was solely focused on a single task but this was going way beyond anything common sense dictated.

It had something to do with the Altaria that had flown off, that much was for sure and it had to be more than just the simple case of worrying about a single Pokémon. Ako wasn't that reckless, definitely not without a greater reason. Still, running headlong into danger for a single life... WHEN she got out of this, I would have to have a few stern words with her.

Only with sheer force of will, clinging to my healer's vow and knowing that Ako would not be happy with me for abandoning all the other Pokémon for her sake, regardless of how much my heart just wanted to chase after her, I continued to organize the rescue effort. Thankfully it was only rescue by this point. Blissey and Chansey had finished their work shortly after Ako left and now the last Pokémon were being flown out from ground zero.

The various Flying types were a big help and silently I resolved that I would need a bigger one of my own soon. Crobat wasn't really meant for carrier duties and for a healer having some means of aerial transport was almost invaluable. _I really could need one right now_, I thought darkly, my mind awhirl with how I would be able to even catch up with Ako. The fliers were all occupied or not meant for a human... much less two and fighting my way through the fire was becoming more and more impossible with every minute that passed. I was running low on air supply from the mask as well.

There would be a way though. Somehow I would find it. Ako was the best thing that happened to me in my life and I refused to even acknowledge the fact that I could lose her here. She was still alive. I just knew. And as long as I knew this, I would find a way to her.

Finally all the Pokémon had been evacuated and I was able to send off the helpful improvised fire fighters as well. Just in time, too. The fire had already crossed the water and was slowly creeping over the first wall. Having climbed on top of the shelter along with Ako's Blissey, I looked around, searching for the best way to go after Ako. I couldn't expect any of the other fliers to be back for a few more minutes. Minutes which I felt, deeply in my heart, I didn't have.

Then a melodious cry filled the air and I looked up in surprise. There, hovering just about the hazard zone was a Tropius. It was the one from the beginning but it hadn't been back from its first run until now. I had suspected that it had simply been too weak and considering its Grass type, flying in these conditions was rather dangerous. As such I was even more surprised to see it back.

Tropius carefully lowered itself down to my level, both Blissey and I jumped on its back and I quickly recalled my remaining Pokémon. "Are you sure you are alright?" I asked the big Fruit Pokémon. It seemed to be forcing itself to stay airborne. That could simply be because of the heat but I suspected it was more because of its earlier injuries.

Tropius gave an affirmative cry though and I decided not to question any further. Obviously it was determined to help and quite frankly, I was extremely grateful for the help. I pointed in the direction Ako had run off. "The one who treated you earlier has run off after an Altaria awhile ago. I want to go look for her. Think you can make it?"

After a moment's consideration, Tropius nodded, wary of going further into the heat but still determined. Then I had a thought and felt like smacking myself. I was a qualified Field Medic after all. Since Blissey was already here, I had her give Tropius a little energy boost with Heal Pulse. Tropius gave a grateful exclamation and more firmly than before flapped its wings, taking off.

At first I worried that Ako would have gone too far in to even find her anymore but the agonizing worry lasted not very long. Tropius was fast, the heat apparently acting similar to a Sunny Day effect, accelerating its speed. In no time at all, we had crossed a good distance.

Finding anything inside the fiery blaze from up in the air also proved far less problematic than expected. The shimmering light creating a small zone of apparent safety was all the indication I needed. Tropius swooped in as close and possible and when I finally could see details more clearly, I gasped in astonishment. There was Ako, along with what appeared two baby Swablu. One Altaria was lying still on the ground while the other... the other was creating a small but extremely powerful barrier field around them. I had never seen something like this except from powerful psychics. It looked like a common Safeguard, just a lot bigger. While I certainly knew the move could be altered beyond its actual use, it was rare seeing it from a wild Pokémon. And Altaria was not just holding off the burning stump of a big tree from crushing them, the field was also keeping the fire away.

Shaking myself out of my perplexed state, I quickly thought over the best way of approaching the situation. Whatever the Altaria was doing, it was clearly very exhausting. I doubted it would hold for much longer. The fire was so dense around them that it was unlikely any of my Pokémon could beat it back long enough for Tropius to sweep in and get them out.

I had a plan though but it had to be done quickly.

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

_It IS kind of lonely_, I thought with mixed feelings. In fact I wasn't sure what I was feeling. I DID miss Leaf. Now that we had officially acknowledged our feelings, not having her here – despite knowing that probably would be the norm –, was a lot harder than before.

As for my sisters, they hadn't been here a lot in the last years since pushing me into this position. I was used to the exclusive company of my secretary. Even the referee was loaned from the League and mostly on standby – meaning if there was a challenge I could call on him swiftly but he wasn't exactly living in the Gym – which was quite fine with me. We never had much male visitors staying over and there hadn't been one actively staying since our parents died. Not that I really remembered anything about it.

So... No, I didn't really miss my sister's presence. There wasn't really any change in the daily schedule to make such a statement. What I missed might be more along the possibility of them coming back at any time. Our fallout had produced a kind of... finality. Okay, that might be a little harsh. After all I had no intention of keeping them out forever, only until they got it through their heads that I was my own person now and that everything didn't just end with their decision and me going along with it dutifully anymore.

Unfortunately, I knew that they could be quite stubborn once they got something in their heads. I hoped that actually throwing them out would shock them enough that they really started thinking about their actions, though I doubted it.

_Well, perhaps it really is a good thing for all of us to cool down a little._ For me as well. If I had let them stay, I knew we would have just clashed about it repeatedly, causing no ends of arguments that would have distracted me from what needed to be done. I couldn't afford that, not now. Being on my own again, the time I had for actual training was once more decreased significantly. However, I managed. Even if it meant cutting official challenge hours slightly. With the lull in challengers that was actually much less problematic than some months ago.

And I might soon have actual help around here. With my sisters gone, I had prioritized the search for an assistant a lot more. And I had been in luck. Honestly I had been ready to try out some of those potential candidates I scouted before but that I had been less satisfied with for lack of better options. However, just a few days ago a girl two years younger than me, just having moved to Cerulean had visited the Gym. Not for a match though.

In fact, I had been fairly surprised in finding her at the pool area one day, admiring my Pokémon in their daily routines. Intrigued I had hung back and watched for a bit. After awhile she got bolder and started to approach the Pokémon, watching intently what they were doing. Vaporeon had gotten curious at one point and approached her. To my pleasant surprise she had known exactly how to handle the young Pokémon.

I did make my presence known at this point, having seen enough to pique my interest and we've had a pleasant chat that had told me right away that Aisha might just be exactly what I was looking for. Sure, she had never really participated much in official Pokémon battles, challenged a League or even went on a journey but that wasn't exactly the most important qualities I was looking for. Battle skills could be taught after all.

The right way to handle Water Pokémon couldn't.

Specializing on a type to a degree of mastery wasn't exactly as easy as it sounded. Most Trainers that didn't specialize might know a lot more about different types but only specialized Trainers knew how to bring out the best in a single type. That could be learned but it took a long, long time for that. A basic empathy for the specific kind of Pokémon was always a lot better to build upon.

And Aisha showed that she possessed this quality right from the start when I let her help with the morning preparations, feedings and other activities that constituted the basic routine at the start of a day. She had a way to connect to my Pokémon that reminded me of myself when I had been younger. I, too, had almost always instinctively known what a Water Pokémon wanted or needed.

And it shouldn't be a surprise after what she had told me about herself later. Until now, her family had been living in Hoenn, in a town close to the ocean. She loved the water, to swim and in that process had grown to like the various Pokémon she had encountered there. When she had become old enough to be a Trainer, she had caught a few but had never set out on an official journey, finding no real drive for adventure away from the sea. But she had participated in several local tournaments to sharpen her skills.

And it was time to see just how sharp these skills really were, so that I could assess just how much work she would need if I accepted her... and I was almost certain I would unless she was totally inapt at battle. Even then, some extra help around here would probably be very useful. Aisha definitely had been excited when I told her I was looking for help and a potential assistant.

Striding into the pool area, I went over straight to one side and turned to face the dark-skinned and black-haired girl on the opposite end. "Ready?" Aisha nodded, a little nervous but not more than what was expected. I could tell she wanted this. After moving away from home, she had been afraid of not finding a place to appeal to her liking. Yes, I definitely would take her in. However, I would really like to have her as an assistant if somehow possible because I doubted I would find someone as perfectly suited as her again anytime soon.

"Alright. We make this a three on three. I don't expect you to win. Just give me your best so that I can assess your skills properly." I had to pause for a moment as the irony of the situation briefly snuck up on me. Just some years ago I was still travelling around with Ash, still learning myself. Even recently Leaf had partially taught me more things. Now, here it was, though, the ultimate proof that I wasn't a child anymore as my sisters tended to believe. I was testing and thinking about actively teaching someone else.

I hope I could do a good job.

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**Jubilife City, Sinnoh (May)**

Jubilife was bustling with activity just as much as I remembered from my last time passing through here. I could have taken a direct flight to the island but I didn't want to impose. In fact since a lot of flight vehicles were in heavy use by the League, there was a greater shortage for the general public. Besides, there was still a good week until I had to be there for registration. The one I managed to get was already heading to Jubilife and from here it was a small trip to Canalave and then to catch a boat.

That forest fire up in the northeastern region of Hoenn had been all over even local Sinnoh news and a lot of resources had been further deployed in this area. Honestly there was so much going on lately. All I've heard were rumors, whispers behind closed doors... yet, Maylene had been a lot more forthcoming, especially after I voiced my own concerns. Apparently all the Gym Leaders had been placed in a state of Emergency Alert. There had been no need to explain that to me. I knew from my dad. He had explained it to Max and I once since we were part of the Gym in some way and should know about it.

Basically a state of Emergency Alert meant that the Gym Leader should see to it that he or she would be ready for a situation needing their attention. Generally this was reserved for impending natural catastrophes for example but also when the threat of a criminal or even terrorist operation was high. Maylene had said that everyone was on edge about Team Rocket operation these days and the League was expanding a lot of resource towards tracking them down in Kanto.

Was that fire really a coincidence then? A natural catastrophe? I honestly couldn't give a certain answer to that question, however, I felt a lot more reassured in my decision to stay with Maylene a little longer and resume the training I had begun with her.

Not that I was too sure about my progress despite the stout praise Veilstone City's Gym Leader had given me upon departure. Others trained Martial Arts for all their life and regardless how much talent I might have, I was not that deluded to think that I could catch up to that in a couple of days.

At least I felt more ready. Ready for what I wasn't sure. Just ready.

"Something is going on," Naru stated next to me and I nodded wordlessly. I had noticed it, too. There was something else about Jubilife, a certain... restlessness. And then there was the fact that entire streets seemed to be cleared of traffic or were in the process of. There was a lot of police as well.

Then the sound of a siren was rending the air and I jumped back in slight surprise even though it wasn't anywhere close to where we were. In the distance though I could see a motorcycle – probably the local Officer Jenny speeding by and some distance ahead there was another car, some kind of armored van, fast and obviously in the process of escaping.

This wasn't just an ordinary crime chase though. Something about how the other officers were behaving... this was something bigger. And I had every intention of finding out.

Quickly I made my way over to the nearest officer and asked what was going on. He was reluctant at first but then I showed him my Top Coordinator badge and he seemed to recognize me. I might not be a Master but the League was doing a lot lately to equalize the acceptance in both duties and privileges between League Champions and Top Coordinators. Especially since the Kanto and Sinnoh Grand Festivals – with Dawn and my own victories and performance – I had noticed a strong increase in acceptance and... respect for our profession. Even more so than what was already the norm in Sinnoh.

With that respect, of course, also came expectations. I knew that as Top Coordinator I couldn't just look away from a crime right in front of my eyes. As a normal girl before that, I never had or would either. I might not have great ambitions to be some kind of idol and protector like a Pokémon Master would be, however, the desire to help people in need was and would always be there.

What I learned of the situation quickly proved my initial estimation and a lot of my concerns as well. Apparently a renown researcher had been in the city to visit with the Pokétech company on a completely unrelated subject. Approximately half an hour ago Dr. Farron had been assaulted and kidnapped by what eyewitnesses – who had luckily and coincidentally been on the scene – had reported were people in black uniform with a red "R" emblazed in front.

Team Rocket. But why, I wondered. Why here? Why now?

"Do you know what exactly Dr. Farron was working on that would interest Team Rocket?" I asked the officer but apparently he wasn't privy to this sort of information. Which could only mean it was something top secret, something potentially very dangerous if used by the wrong sort of people. People like Team Rocket.

Unsure of what to do and without a sufficient Pokémon to fly or run fast enough, I was pretty stuck on watching for now, listening in to their communications for updates on the situation. Officer Jenny and several other police units were actually doing a good job at cutting off the escape vehicle. Things seemed to be going well and for awhile I thought that offering assistance in any way might be unnecessary after all.

That was once again changed when there was a lot of chaos audible over comm traffic. Apparently the kidnappers had managed to take down two of their followers by blowing up their motorcycles somehow and now they had retreated into a house on the edge of the city, threatening to kill its occupants if they weren't granted safe and undisturbed passage.

Killing people. Really, this was a lot to swallow. Sure, we had been in quite a few dangers, even life-threatening ones but so far my journey never had had such a heavy dose of... realism. I couldn't and wouldn't run away from it though. As a Champion of sorts I did have a responsibility now.

Taking the radio from the surprised officer, I addressed Officer Jenny directly, with far more confidence than I was really feeling. "Officer, this is Top Coordinator May just passing through the city. If you wish, I would offer any help I could provide."

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_I must have been mad_, I mused, perched in my hiding spot among the thick crown of a tree. From here I had a perfect view of the back of the house. A fairly normal family home. Two stories, a mild yellow color, the roof a typical red. The space under the roof was reserved for an attic according to my information. It was also the best entry point.

It didn't seem like anyone had noticed my presence yet. So far so good. I still must have been mad. There was no other explanation for agreeing to this harebrain plan.

**Flashback**

"Unless you have experience in hostage situations, I would rather have it if you stay out of it. No disrespect meant, Ma'am."

_Ma'am, geez. You are really someone important now, May._ I smiled slightly at the response. Frankly I could understand that, despite my new status, Officer Jenny would be wary of involving a girl my age. Surely a lot of things could go wrong in such cases if you didn't know what you were doing. However, after what I had just learned, I couldn't simply stay out of it. Someone from the League, probably one of the Sinnoh Elite Four was on the way but it would be at best another hour and the kidnappers were putting on the pressure, threatening to kill the hostages in less than half the time if they were not allowed to leave undisturbed.

Until Officer Jenny had told me what exactly they were after I wouldn't have understood why they would go that far. Now I did and the implications were severe. The police COULDN'T allow them to leave with the researcher.

At first Officer Jenny wasn't very forthcoming with the details and only after I had caught up and met with her in person some distance away from the house the kidnappers had occupied, had she begun to explain.

It was no wonder she didn't want sensitive information like this to be told over an open channel. Apparently Dr. Farron had recently discovered a way in which it was possible to override the standard programming that regulated the Pokémon Capture System. With that it could, depending on application, be possible to override the registration of captured Pokémon and allow someone else to capture a Trainer's Pokémon which normally the system was meant to prevent.

Dr. Farron was not attached to one of the bigger companies and as such his discovery was something that worried the League since knowledge of the core mechanics of the Pokémon Capture and Management System was severely restricted. For good reason. I shuddered at the thought of an organization like Team Rocket gaining that sort of knowledge. No Trainer would be safe from them. They could steal Pokémon from right under their noses. They could even potentially get to those of the Elites if they had someone strong enough for it.

A potential gold mine for criminals. And taking into account all the concerns the League had over Team Rocket's activities right now, I wouldn't dare to imagine just what other evil they could do with knowledge like this. No, they couldn't be allowed to obtain this. And as such Officer Jenny had made it quite clear, that they couldn't give in to their demands... no matter the consequences.

Pushing back the nauseous feeling at what this could mean for the family taken hostage, I also drew confidence and justification out of that fact. Time was running against us. "I don't. However, there is one significant advantage I have over everyone else here. They don't know yet I am here and I doubt they could have anticipated it since I came in without anyone being aware of it. You said it yourself, we don't have much time left. We can't let them get away, so we have to try and save the hostages. Now."

Officer Jenny pursed her lips, obviously trying to come up with a counter argument. After a few moments of tense silence, she heaved a sigh of defeat. "Very well. But we really have to do this fast and I won't have much time to coach you properly." She turned and walked away. "Come on, let's make a plan."

**End Flashback**

"... the scene has been cleared. Situation. Three suspects accounted for." I perked up at the message that came over the radio I was given. That was the code signal that said Officer Jenny would now start engaging the kidnappers in an attempt of negotiation on her side, in front of the house. We both knew it was pointless with what was at stake, however, it served to get their attention.

The message was my code signal that this was the point where I had to make my move. Three kidnappers had been spotted which was the number that eye witnesses had reported. Of course, at least one more should be expected at least. Someone driving the van at least would have to stay put while the others had grabbed Dr. Farron. Which meant there was one more that stayed hidden, probably securing other avenues of entrance.

"The other one is at the right side room right now. If we want to move, we have to do it now," Naru stated, eyes closed and the red jewel on her forehead glowing softly and the silvery fur of her Espeon form standing up. I grinned. Her abilities really came in handy in such a situation.

Releasing Blaziken, I quietly nodded towards the roof of the house, holding onto my first Pokémon while Naru also clung onto him. Despite the extra weight, Blaziken cleared the distance with a single leap and, thanks to some of the extra training with Maylene he had benefitted from, landed with no sound at all. Naru used the psychic powers of her current form to open the roof window as gently as possible, then immediately dropped inside, followed by Blaziken.

I gave two clicks on my radio to signal that we were about to enter the house, then followed my Pokémon. The easy part was over with. Now it would be getting hard. One mistake could cost the hostage's lives... and probably my own. I can't say I wasn't nervous but after going this far, I didn't allow myself to think about it further.

Just like during training and what Maylene had always said to me helped as well. I was more suited for an unrelenting offense, never letting up. If I paused to think about it too much, I would definitely fail.

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It was definitely a new experience. I couldn't remember doing anything like this before. If the situation wasn't so serious, I might have actually enjoyed the thrill, however, right now it was more distracting than anything. Maylene was right, I was a rather direct person... or perhaps I had become a rather direct person over the years spent travelling. Especially since going off alone. Without anyone to cheer you on or listen to your worries, you would have to learn thinking for yourself more and more. Even more so you would need to trust your own judgment or nothing would ever get done.

And that's what I needed to do right now. There was no point in hesitating and no time to do so after coming this far. Moving swiftly but silently, making no apparent sound on the floor, I eased open the door and peered outside. Immediately in front of us a staircase went down, winding around, so that one couldn't look straight down to the next floor.

Frowning, I looked to Naru for confirmation and upon her nod began to ease down the stairs, my two Pokémon following. I really would have liked to recall Blaziken for the moment but the house was rather quiet. The only sound was from outside, where I could faintly hear Officer Jenny over a megaphone, trying to speak to the kidnappers. I feared that the sound of a recalled Pokémon could be detected, especially with people who certainly had to be attentive for any kind of threat.

There was no problem in the end, descending to the second floor. I was surprised they didn't have anyone up here, merely covering the ground level. In fact the oddity gave rise to a quickly strengthening suspicion. Reflexively I pressed my back to the wall, right next to the largest room on the floor, apparently the main bedroom. The door was open and if we wanted further down, the stairs were directly opposite to the door. Naru hadn't detected anyone else but the four downstairs. Then again, she wasn't as effective as a true Psychic Pokémon in this form. It was quite possible that she had missed something.

If Naru was put off by the lack of trust my actions implied, she didn't show it. In fact, she really wasn't the type to be offended or overestimating her own abilities. A slight sound of movement drew my attention, justifying my caution. I glanced down but Naru just shook her head quietly and frustrated. If there was someone there and even now she couldn't sense them...

Of course! My mind briefly flashed back to what I had seen of Dawn's final match at the Kanto Grand Festival. It made sense. The question was of what to do now... Before I could think about it though, the sound got closer and my eyes widened. I had no more time to think about it. My body moved on automatic, knowing immediately that if we were discovered now, everything would be over. The man had barely passed the doorframe when a hard fist to the stomach caused him to bend over with a quiet gasp, before a quick chop to his neck knocked him out cold.

I panted slightly, just now realizing exactly what I had done and marveling at my own effectiveness. Yes, I really had to be grateful to Maylene. Next to the man was a Poochyena, also collapsed with several needles stuck into its body, the ones in the neck obviously taking it down quick and quiet.

Naru looked back at me somewhat satisfied and reverted back from the Jolteon form she had temporally taken for this. Once more as an Espeon, she led the way further down. We had to move quick now. If any of their members didn't report back in some fashion, the others would become suspicious. There seemed no further Dark-type influence this time and with Naru's help, Blaziken and I made quick work of the other patrolling kidnapper before moving on to the living room.

Here things were getting tricky. A quick glance around the doorframe confirmed the position of everyone. One was at the window, obviously keeping an eye on police activity outside. The other two were keeping an eye on the family. I grimaced at the scene. The parents were wrapped up together by a Victreebel while the two children, no older than ten were bound by rope and a Scyther stood guard over them, it's blade-like arms seemingly ready to strike at any moment. For further insurance there were four Beedrill hovering over each of the hostages. They really meant business.

But where was...? Ah, there. Against the far side, towards the door leading to the terrace stood a middle-aged man in lab clothes, easily making him out as Dr. Farron. There weren't any Pokémon guarding him like the family. Then again, they wanted him alive after all and it wasn't like he could try anything, even if he wanted to.

_I can't just act. They are all very attentive_, I thought. _Especially not with just the three of us._ I needed a distraction. Remembering my radio, I debated for a moment, then decided to take the chance. Waiting for Officer Jenny to start appealing to the kidnappers again, I tapped it two times short, gave two more clicks, then tensed, getting ready to act in a heartbeat. I didn't have to wait long. Mid-speech there was suddenly a horrible screeching sound like a microphone calibrated wrong. I knew that was deliberate but it sounded accidental enough.

Quickly I released Butterfree, Ninetales and Glaceon. There wasn't a need to give any commands. We had briefly gone over the strategy for this part and while we couldn't have been certain of the exact situation and positioning, the general idea remained the same.

It was really a well-coordinated action. Butterfree went after Victreebel with a highly concentrated Stun Spore. Naru, once again as Jolteon had jumped out and sent a Thunder Wave over the seating area. This would affect the family, too, but it was really better than any other option. The Thunder Wave wasn't too strong, but it did its job of keeping the Beedrill from reacting at which point Glaceon and Ninetales made quick work out of them.

After nailing Victreebel with another Pin Missile, causing it to release the parents, Naru shifted quickly to a Flareon and finished it off with a quick Flamethrower. By that time Blaziken had already nailed Scyther with a flaming kick that sent it flying straight into one of the thoroughly surprised kidnappers.

While that was going on, I had immediately moved to the one at the window. The man had turned in shock but then quickly got ready for a fight. Obviously he didn't really think me a threat and I had to admit that he was decent enough in hand-to-hand that I would have been horribly outclassed without any training. As it was, my outright charge clearly made him underestimate me and within seconds I slipped under one of his punches and knocked him out with a sharp uppercut.

Heart racing and blood pumping fast, I turned around to see how my Pokémon were handling their end of the fight and realized there wasn't anything left to do. Surely I couldn't prevent the pride I felt for my Pokémon from showing in my face. The kidnappers' Pokémon were all down and mine were now standing guard over the two other kidnappers, wrapped up in a Leafeon's vines... Naru grinned satisfied.

Taking several calming breaths to calm my racing heart, I reached for my radio. "Situation under control," was all I managed, the reality of just what exactly I had done and accomplished beginning to really sink in.

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**Leaf**

In the end the trail had really run dry. Whoever had been responsible for leaking information about Lance's absence during the cave incident had covered their tracks well. I was almost sure it was a hacking job by now and whatever physical trail there was could very well have been nothing more than a distraction.

While I was fairly decent with computers, I neither had the time, patience nor more refined skill to investigate further into this direction. Thus I had left what I found with the intelligence department of the League – that's what they paid their analysts for after all – and got myself a new assignment.

And yes, I got scolded again for not taking a break. However, I couldn't afford it right now. The time was drawing near and there were still so many open questions, still so many things we had to prepare for. Every little bit could help to keep the others safe... or at least keep them a little safer. To keep Misty safe...

I couldn't help the giddy feeling and smile as my thoughts briefly were drawn back to the redhead. I couldn't help it. Not anymore. The decision had been made and it was irrevocable. Not that I was unsatisfied with that. Definitely not. And at the moment I felt rather silly for denying myself this joy for so long. No longer did I believe it would be a problem in the long run. Instead I was only more motivated.

Even some people back at Headquarters had commented that I looked more... lively. I suppose that was a good thing. Even I had to admit just overworking without some form of... stress relief was bad and would probably lead to an early burnout at the most inappropriate time. The short date with Misty, despite and because of everything that came along with it, had helped remind me of and cement the reason why I was doing all this.

And that's why I knew that the time for side activities was almost over. Team Rocket could strike at any moment and while the top brass of the League had done a magnificent job at predicting the most likely target points, it remained ultimately just that. A prediction. I wanted something more tangible. At least a general area.

A big part of me still thought they'd be striking where Ash and the others would be. Giovanni had already shown that he obviously knew much more about our purpose than he should rightfully have. I wouldn't put it beyond the man if he knew exactly who the Chosen were and was waiting for just the right moment to strike and take us out of the picture prematurely.

On the other hand, the qualification round for the Harmony Cup was almost too obvious. Security would be very high already and considering the raw potential of skilled Top Coordinators and various top Trainers who were there to scout potential future partners, I would find it at the least very daring to strike there.

Still, I had resolved to get myself a clearer picture of the situation on site... or at least that had been the plan until the call came in from Sinnoh, once again serving to sidetrack me. Although, it wasn't really a waste of time despite the situation having been cleared up before I could really do anything.

I had to admit, I was impressed. May had come far with the little I had given her almost a year ago. As reckless as I personally though the stunt was, it had been perfectly executed. Well, almost perfectly. The kidnappers in the house had all been taken care off in a swift and efficient manner for someone who had no experience in this area. I was slightly shocked at the other girl's physical skill and power as well. From everything I knew, I wasn't aware that she possessed any sort of fighting skills and yet the evidence was right there. Well, that was good. If everyone picked up something unique to contribute, our strength would only be greater for it.

What she did miss, at least until a few moments ago when her strange constantly transforming Pokémon had obviously informed her about it, was the last member of the kidnappers trying to sneak away from the house. His stealth was commendable and I didn't know how he managed to avoid perception by Espeon – perhaps because he had already been outside by the time May entered and her Pokémon hadn't focused beyond the interior of the house. However, I had found myself a good observation point and with the little ability I could draw from my power, I doubted even the police force was aware that I was there.

Neither was the kidnapper who broke out in a sudden run when he realized that May had caught on to him after all and was charging out of the house. He would probably have made it to the edge and out of the perimeter. Unfortunately that was right where I had hidden myself.

The poor fool never saw it coming when I casually stepped around the tree and chopped him on the neck, instantly causing the man to collapse with a gasp of surprise. Unconcerned, I bent down to check on him and found that the only thing of note he was carrying was a tightly wrapped bundle of papers. Suspicion and dread rising, I began to undo the binding while giving May a look somewhere between sternness and amusement. "You missed one."

The brunette stared for a long moment more, shocked into silence by my sudden appearance no doubt. "I didn't expect to see you here of all places," she admitted finally.

I grinned. "Just doing my work. Though it seems you have taken away all the fun already." She blushed cutely. I had almost been tempted when I found her the first time, shortly after the Sinnoh League Championship. Of course, I also knew that she wasn't meant for me and that I clearly didn't want to get involved in that kind of complicated mess. Now it wasn't an issue any longer since I had found the right person after all.

"Still, good job, I guess," I admitted, feeling that some praise was in order. She really couldn't have known about the escapee. In fact THAT should have been the job of the police. "Now, let's see what was so important to sneak away from his pals."

I glanced over the papers briefly. Really I barely understood even the basic content but it was enough to make me swear lowly once I comprehended what exactly I was holding and that – even while we had barely prevented this to fall into enemy hands – the implications were very troubling.

"Oh, this isn't good at all."

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**Maia's Prophecy**

**MysticMew watches Maia flutter around, muttering to herself at high speed.**

**MysticMew: Uh, I don't think she is up to sane talking right now.**

**Maia: *flutters* And then we do this... and let them go there and then... eheheheh... yes, yes, perfect! Peeerfect!**

**MysticMew: *sweatdrops* Um, yes, definitely not up to it. The sad thing is, I have no idea whether or not I should complain or be happy that she's so high. Inspiration-high that is. After all it's mostly because of that we had this episode ready for posting so soon despite the above average length...**

**Maia: Ah, new food! *gobbles up latest review and chews contently* Wonderful! Limiter release! Inspiration Full Drive... Ignition!**

**MysticMew: *blinks* That was on purpose. I know it was. She's not going to stop harping on me to write something with Nanoha in it until I cave in... Sad thing is, I actually want to! *weeps comically* Oh well... I guess I have to do the preview. Now then, how did that go again? I see...**

**Maia: Oy! Are you trying to steal my segment?!**

**MysticMew: Well, you were...**

**Maia: No excuses! *points Raising Heart at MysticMew***

**MysticMew: H-Hey, wa-wait a minute, where did you get...?**

**Maia: DIVINE BUSTER!**

**MysticMew: ... *is out cold on the floor, smoking***

**Maia: Hah! See that! I am the awesome muse Maia and none shall stand against my power. *clears throat* Where were we? Oh right. It's the turn for my awesomeness again. Well, more awesomeness. The only awesomeness I am legally allowed in this... Now that I think about that, it's really unfair, hmm... Oh, right. My awesome prediction. I see...**

**Narrator: *limps in* I will stand for this no longer. My contract this time states clearly that no excessive violence can be used against me!**

**Maia: *glares at Narrator for interruption* STARLIGHT BREAKER!**

**MysticMew: *peers through one half-open eye and muttering low* Now that I saw coming. *keeps on playing dead, ignoring the smoking crater next to him***

**Maia: No more interruptions. Good. I see, I see, I see in the future... I see, a love rival for Dawn... that is NOT May! I see, a grudge match... sort of. I see... lots of cliffhangers getting resolved. *cackles evilly* So, next time on TFSTTM Reloaded: Unexpected Challenges! The Ugliness of Jealousy!**

**Nanoha: *walks in* Can I have Raising Heart back now?**

**Maia: *hands the device back* Here you go. Thanks for letting me borrow it. *she flutters after Nanoha as they leave***

**MysticMew: *raises head* Definitely high. *looks at where the Narrator used to be* Uh... That's going to be nasty.**

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**Author's Notes**

I almost forgot how much a hyperactive muse can be both a pain and a pleasure. Maia has been really wild on these last two episodes – despite her complaining –, let's hope she doesn't keel over from exhaustion anytime soon.

As such, I am once more rather satisfied with this episode myself, which as I always like to remind you, doesn't happen often. We had several days pouring out two scenes at once, that is why this slightly above average length episode (because of the double focus) is already ready for posting two weeks after the last. I did not expect to have it finished already by now.

Alright before you go and shoot a me too for the various cliffhangers in this episode, let's rather get to the notes. I hope you liked my attempt to point out/explain/deal with the gross discrepancies between the level of technological potential in the Pokémon World and its actually physical manifestation. While on the one hand we have an extremely complex system of capturing and exchanging Pokémon over great distances that speaks of a high level of technology, we hardly ever see things like cars or flying vehicles, at least not on the official side. Cars seem to be more of a luxury item. Gary had one in the beginning when he was still prancing around, Scott had one (but considering how much he moves around, I can understand that one) and Oak always seems to have one as well. What we see most are transports of some kind but even those are mostly limited to the cities. Roads in between cities/towns/villages are made for travelling on foot or bike.

As for flying vehicles. It's mostly helicopters, rather often from criminal organizations like TR, too. Hunter J had an airship (again someone operating outside the law). We saw a zeppelin here and there. The first time I can recall a plane in the anime is at the start of the Unova arc, which considering the distance between regions does make some sense. Of course since everything from the start of the Sinnoh League is obsolete in here...

The still vastly untouched nature in the Pokémon World further suggests and supports the fact that pollution is obviously rather low. When I wrote Brock's scenes all this kind of jumped me in the face and I ended up writing a few lines about it. Later then I realized that despite the discrepancy it actually works out nicely with the back story Maia and I have come up with and that I can actually explain the current state with it. But more on that later.

Okay, I revealed a little more and a little earlier about Naru than I wanted at this point. Unfortunately it would have been rather illogical not to do this while writing the kidnapping scenario. Yes, Naru is like Moty in the original TFSTTM... and since I know there is probably no one here that knows about that... no, I won't say anything. You've got to wait for the explanation within the story, so don't ask. ^_^

And yes, Infernape had a Dragonball-esque moment, sorry about that. I just couldn't resist. I hope you liked the match so far since people have been complaining about the main characters winning their matches too easily. It's certainly... different. Can't really say how to classify the match but it's definitely not your typical Pokémon battle. And please don't read too much into my use of ninja techniques a la Naruto. There is no deeper meaning aside from some theoretical application.

All in all the entire episode offered a great dose of harsh reality impacting on the main characters. While it wasn't actually quite intended, I believe this serves nicely to set them up for future events. Thusly I changed the title announced last episode since it fits better that way. Not because to further antagonize my muse. *glances around* I'm not that suicidal. Next one will probably be a little less action-orientated. There will be a Contest battle... sort of... if you can even call it a battle. That's all I'm going to say.

As always, read, review and pray we don't run out of steam anytime soon... which your FEEDback can help with.

Maia: Fooooood!

Quiet, you.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	23. 0206a: Unexpected Challenges!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 6

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

So, this is the last episode before the great final. Again, I'm a little disappointed with the lack of reviews for the last episode. Only kmaster reviewed again – thanks for that – and here I thought we'd gotten a good one out and I even left enough cliffies to complain about. *pouts*

Slight warning we are definitely going into higher rating territory. Not sure if this is quite R/M yet. There is... suggestion. Clear enough that it is obvious what will happen but not really much graphical description. Make up your own mind. I set the rating high enough initially to be on the safe side after all.

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**Narrator aka MysticMew**

Yes, me. Since the old one is, err... indisposed after Maia's last segment, I have to do this. Why must Maia always be so much trouble. I should have known better. It didn't work last time. Why should it now?

Erm. Alright. I have better things to do, so let's get to do it. "In the last episodes we have seen how the rest of our heroes are faring. After Leaf and Misty had to solve their own emotional problems – not without a fight between Misty and her sisters – while Brock and Ako had departed from Heal Bell only to be pulled into a rescue mission at Ako's home village where a forest fire had started. In the midst of a dangerous attempt to save local Pokémon, Ako has suddenly chased after an Altaria and now Brock must risk everything to save her." I show scenes of Ako working at the shelter, treating Altaria, then running off into the fire.

"Meanwhile May stumbles upon a kidnapping and puts the new skills she has learned from Maylene to good use." I show scenes where May methodically takes out the kidnappers.

"But even Ash and Dawn seem not to escape the lessons of reality imposed upon our heroes. Ash, still struggling with his actions upon saving Mew some weeks prior, is challenged by Elite 4 member Koga and forced to face his own problems. How this battle will end and how the rest of the unexpected side adventures everyone has found themselves in will turn out, we will see now!"

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**Blackthorn City, Johto (Ash)**

The steady rise and fall of breathing, even so faint in this small body, was a far more reassuring sound than the beep of machines keeping my best friend stable. And yet, watching Pikachu slumber more peacefully now, I still felt the tight knot in my heart. The feeling of guilt. I could have prevented all of this, if I had not been so... weak.

In the end, as much as our final stand had been necessary, it didn't have to be. My hesitation, my uncertainty, my lack of trust had cost us this match and would have unmistakably cost us more if Koga had not merely wanted to make a point. Fighting back from this depression and doubt had been tough and that alone had cost far more.

**Flashback**

When the image once more flashed through my mind, I stomped down on it hard, then several more times with the power the renewed trust in my Pokémon and the understanding of my responsibilities, regardless how harsh they might be, had instilled within me.

There was no hesitation. There couldn't be. This was a battle, a battle on a scale where withholding power led to defeat and defeat in battle would ultimately lead to worse things to everyone that I wished to protect. That was how Koga wanted me to think, right? Well, fine then. I hope he was ready for the consequences then.

"We won't turn our back." Pikachu's aura erupted into furious sparks, his speed momentarily becoming more than enough to match Ninjask, even if just barely. "We won't look away." Unlike that time, Pikachu and I had learned from the shortcomings of this technique without a proper setup. Well, I hadn't really wanted to think about it but I had also seen to it that Pikachu would be leaking electricity into the air for the entire battle. Small amounts, barely visible and much less noticeable at all. And it would be wasted energy if I didn't let him use it now.

_We will use this power to become strong. Strong enough to stop unnecessary sadness and sacrifice_, I finished the vow silently, finding my thoughts echoed by Pikachu's. The time for games was over. This wasn't just a competition anymore. It wasn't about dreams of success and greatness. It was real and would become only more so. I could feel it. This battle, even if it had taken more and more the shape of a lesson... No, because, it had become a lesson, we could not afford to lose. If we did, then we would never be able to move forward.

Already Pikachu had finished the first stage. I looked over towards Koga but he merely watched, impassive, showing no intention of stopping the fight. He must know about the move, of course. As much as it was our greatest and yet most fearful trump card, it was far less a secret than I would have liked after using it live to be seen on TV for the first time. Well, that couldn't be helped.

Clenching my hands, I forced myself to watch. This was the first time I had ever used this in a real battle since the final. And Ninjask was merely insanely fast. It didn't have Shadow's defense technique and that small body wasn't exactly sturdy. However, I couldn't afford to have Pikachu lower the power any further. Not only was doing it at even less power comparably harder to keep control, but I also couldn't be sure just what Ninjask could take. Koga was an Elite and I had to trust that he knew best when something was beyond his Pokémon's ability.

The sky was awash in the brilliance that was Pikachu, hovering above the tight cage constructed in which even Ninjask's speed would make evasion impossible. _Now!_ I thought and Pikachu descended. I did not dare take my eyes of the scene. It was something I had to face. If I had the willpower and resolve to do this, then I would have to watch it to the very end.

Of course, that wasn't the sole reason why I couldn't look away. The real reason was far more practical. I was looking for one tiny, important detail and waited for that one moment, my senses alert and waiting to detect the slightest movement. This technique was still unrefined at best. So far I had been able to hide it but it was hard and very draining to keep locating Koga's Pokémon this way. Especially since Ninjask was far more able to hide its presence from me even within the reach of this ability.

As such it was but the tiniest of breaths within a constant breeze. Had I not been actively looking for it, I wouldn't have realized. _From your right, at roughly two o'clock._ "And we don't need this move to win either!" I declared loudly even as Pikachu turned in mid-descend, impossible as it seemed. More electricity pushed into his tail from above, forming a gigantic sphere, easily two or three times greater than himself. "Heavenly Missile!" The sound of Pikachu's tail swinging around shook the arena with a thunderclap that I was sure could still be heard at the outskirts of the city. The heavily modified Electro Ball shot forward, accompanied by the gathered electricity instead of moving downward like in the original move, arced and followed the sphere that acted like a magnet. Right towards the real Ninjask that had come charging at Pikachu at breakneck speed at the moment of his descent.

And yet, despite expecting it and countering with what Pikachu had barely been able to complete a few weeks ago, Koga's voice was steady and clear, even over the roar of thunder and lightning. "Guillotine."

**End Flashback**

And that's how it was in the end. A tie. Amazingly enough Ninjask had not only used a move I had no idea it was even capable of doing but its sheer speed had allowed it to cut through Pikachu's own attack and strike at my best friend... only to take the full brunt of the extremely concentrated electricity in the process.

Suffice to say, both Pokémon were not in the best of states. Yet, even while Dawn ranted a little and Mew was somewhat upset with Koga as well, I couldn't resent him for letting the battle come to this point. This lesson was indeed a painful one. However, I knew now, with some more time to reflect, it was one that was necessary and one for which in the end I could only feel gratitude towards Koga.

Humility. Yes, I think that was right. A lesson in humility. Humility not so much to remind me that there were still those out there that could compete with me equally. No, humility in thinking that I could shoulder all the burdens myself, that I alone had this responsibility.

No, I wouldn't forget this lesson.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Episode 06: Unexpected Challenges! The Ugliness of Jealousy!

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**Jubilife City, Sinnoh (May)**

She really was the last person I had expected to meet today. I suppose those were the times where I was reminded of my new, fresh status and all it included. Actively encountering the famous and best Trainers and Coordinators was suddenly a lot more likely than just stumbling upon them during regular travel.

The first time had been like that as well. Appearing out of the blue, without warning, offering me help when I wasn't even sure myself I needed it. I might have been more suspicious but the timing had been perfect. Seeing Ash perform at the Sinnoh League, the level of his growth, seeing Dawn with him, too... I knew I was too far behind them.

And so I had accepted with no questions asked. If given the choice again now, I wouldn't have done anything different. So yes, I was grateful, even though I barely knew the girl, our only association being Ash and Dawn in extension.

Shaking of the memory, I focused back on the situation at hand. "What do you mean?" With the immediate threat gone, I had been able to calm down my racing heart a little, although the adrenaline level was still quite high. It had just started to seep in just what I had done and how... easy it had happened when Naru had spotted the last kidnapper on a last routine check of the area.

I peered over Leaf's shoulder and grimaced, not being able to make heads or tails of what I was seeing. Well, at least it didn't seem like the other girl did much better. Just enough apparently to make an assessment of just what the content was about. What could have been so important for that guy to leave his comrades behind? Secret operation plans or something? That made no sense. Why should he have been with the other kidnappers then. They had been after Doctor Farron and his discovery...

A horrible thought crept up on me. "You don't mean..." Leaf silently pointed at something and then I saw the words. "Pokémon Transfer System". The young Master growled and strode away, towards where the police had secured the rest of the kidnappers, the hostages and the researcher who was the cause of all this... whom obviously was clearly a far more active part of this than we had believed so far.

No way. Why? Why would someone do that? Didn't he realize how much pain he would cause by giving this kind of information to a wide-reaching criminal organization like Team Rocket? What had been the point in all this? The family getting involved, my efforts, for what purpose had it all been?

Robotically I had followed behind Leaf as she marched up to Officer Jenny, not quite able to grasp what was going on. "I don't believe he needs any medical attention, Officer." Leaf handed her the papers and Jenny took much less time to realize what they were with a scowl of her own. "That was quite an interesting scheme. Also a rather disgusting one. Tell me when did you decide to make a deal? Before or during the kidnapping?" Farron remained silent, looking away. "I have half a mind to beat you to a pulp right here but I think prison will serve you well enough. For a long time."

I didn't quite share her sentiment. It had taken awhile to really set in but now the rage at the audacity of this man, who had so willingly been able to endanger the safety of many Pokémon, endanger the many friendships between Trainers and their Pokémon, was bubbling to the surface. Maylene might have taught me control but she had also encouraged to make more use of my emotions as they were a greater fuel for my style.

Both Leaf and Jenny jumped back in surprise when I grabbed a hold of Farron's coat and slammed him against the side of the van that had been part of the police unit. "What the hell were you thinking? Don't you realize what they would do with these kinds of information? They could just take Pokémon of others without any hindrance, without any consequences! Why?! Why would you do this? I don't get it! Tell me!"

I didn't even realize how much strength I was applying and that the older man was gasping and moaning under my tight grip, but right now I didn't care and couldn't even recognize any of this. The outrage inside of me needed a release, it needed an answer!

"As if... I care..." Farron eventually wheezed out. "I made a great discovery but I would never get anything for it. The League would just cover it up, probably just put me to work somewhere and no one would ever see me again because it's... too dangerous." I snarled at the uncaring tone and attitude. There was no regret in the man. I had hoped they had just managed to pressure him into giving them these plans during the kidnapping. But that wasn't the case. I knew that now.

"So what's so wrong with making some money off of this?" That was the last straw. Something snapped inside me and without thinking about it I had cocked back my right fist, poised for a surely satisfying strike. Even faster than that though Jenny and Leaf were there.

"Hey, calm down. Think about what you are doing? Is scum like that really worthy getting your hands dirty?"

I growled angrily, struggling against their hold. But as quick as the anger had exploded, it was receding again. Leaf was right. I wouldn't be any better and Maylene would be very cross with me, if she knew what I had just wanted to do. The Art was for protection, not for beating up the unarmed. Regardless how much they deserved it.

I couldn't resist hauling Farron over my shoulder with my other hand, still gripping onto him and partly enjoyed the satisfying moan of pain. It was far harder to get myself back under control this time than from just the adrenaline rush of before. Even after getting a good distance away from that despicable man, part of me still wanted to go back and smash his face in. And I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"It's quite normal." I looked up at Leaf from where my Pokémon had gathered around, trying their best to help me calm down. "A lot of people would react that way, especially after just getting out of a tense situation. Don't think too much about it, it will just eat you up. Rather think of the good you did here." She gestured towards where police officers were leading the shaken family away. "Because of what you did, they are safe. Because you were here, this didn't get any worse. I'm not sure if I would have spotted the last one in time if it had just been me either."

That actually DID help. She was right, after all. It had turned out alright in the end. The family was safe, the kidnappers caught and the plans were safe. Looking at it like this, I should say this had turned out as best as it could.

Just... "Sometimes this world isn't quite as pure as we like to think, huh?"

Leaf was quiet for a moment. "Yeah. But because we stop the bad things, we can keep it from getting worse and affecting more people."

I suppose that was true.

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**Fortree City, Johto (Brock)**

One could still see the smoke in the distance. The air was heavy with it and the smell of burned wood. In the end, it was a miracle that the fire hadn't moved further inland early on before it could be contained. A miracle and also a mystery. The lush and fertile vegetation anywhere but in the vicinity of Aprico Village should have been far more likely to cause and attract a fire of this size.

The firefighters were starting to get things under control slowly. There shouldn't be any more danger that it could spread further and in time they would have it beaten back. Or all the possible fuel would be gone. Either way, this area would probably be completely inhabitable now for generations to come.

That was saddening, yes. But right now, I couldn't even begin to really comprehend and sympathize. Ako had been sleeping for almost a day. Exhaustion, coupled with a mild case of smoke poisoning and superficial burns that thankfully wouldn't leave any marks in the long run. I suppose I should be glad that was everything she had acquired during our hazardous rescue mission. Most of that was, of course, due to her reckless actions in the end.

I had come so close to losing her that it had really scared me. It still scared me now. If I had just been a little slower...

**Flashback**

There wasn't much time. The fire was only getting worse around us and Altaria didn't look like it could hold on much longer. That probably also meant it wouldn't be able to fly. Another bad thing for a rescue. Ako wouldn't leave them behind, not after coming all this way. And even if all I wanted right now was to see her safe, I couldn't turn a blind eye to what was right in front of me.

"Hold steady," I told Tropius, then called out Ludicolo and Marshtomp. Tropius swayed a bit under the extra weight but stubbornly kept her position. "Use Rain Dance, then Water Spout on Marshtomp." That one was tricky and generally thought not possible but all it really needed was some practice to get the amount of water just right. Next I addressed Marshtomp. "I need you to go down there and create a small opening. Can you do that?" I was asking a lot, I knew. But both my Pokémon understood the seriousness of the situation and grimly nodded. "Alright."

Ludicolo began to awkwardly dance, starting to create a small raincloud centered above us. It would hardly be enough to stop or even halt the fire, but it would help for just a little bit, which was all we needed. Next Ludicolo doused Marshtomp in a layer of protective water to further reduce damage from the flames.

Not wasting any more time, Marshtomp bravely jumped off Tropius. Without needing to be told Ludicolo assisted with keeping up a steady beam of water, momentarily creating a small opening in the inferno below. It was hard to see afterwards and I waited for several long agonizing seconds, stretching almost into a minute before the fire was getting pushed back just a little, then some more, then suddenly a huge torrent of water smashed out of the flames several times.

When I could finally see, I smiled with mounting hope. Where Marshtomp had vanished in the flames, stood now a proud and strong Swampert, firing of Hydro Blasts as if it hadn't been doing all the exhausting firefighting back at the shelter. Now that's what I called a perfect moment for an evolution.

Ako looked up at me with a mixture between guilt, apology and hope. Then her training obviously kicked in and she fished for two remaining spare Pokéballs. Good, she still had some. I had hoped for that.

**End Flashback**

The rest had been comparatively easy. Blissey had jumped down and gave Altaria a small boost, just enough so that she could get herself and Ako to safety after her babies were safely taken care off.

I looked down at my girlfriend, once again reminded of just how lucky I was to have her but also how fleeting this happiness could be, especially in our line of work. In the back of my mind I had known that these missions we were potentially recruited for were dangerous, life-threatening dangerous. But it hadn't quite set in just how real that danger was until now.

I couldn't lose her. Not after I had just found her. Ako was the perfect woman for me and I couldn't bear the thought of something happening to her. Yet, that possibility at least was a painful reality. Perhaps I should do it after all. Not right now. But after everything had calmed down a little.

Yes, that was a good idea. Ako would want to bury Altaria at least. That had been the most troubling part left in the rescue when she had insisted that we'd take his body with us. That was the problem with the capture system. Pokéballs worked only on the living. With a quick cooperation between Swampert with his now enhanced strength and Tropius bravely flying a bit lower to scoop Altaria up, even that problem was solved. However. I could definitely understand why Ako had not wanted to leave him behind like this after finally getting a small explanation for her reckless behavior on our way back.

Yes, she would want a proper goodbye and probably some time to mourn. _Later then_, I resolved, brushing a hand over my rear pocket and the box hidden within.

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**(Ako)**

It was a small gathering. Of course, it was more than I had expected. Almost all the villagers that still remembered me and were physically able were there to attend alongside Brock and myself. Winona, a couple of the rescue personnel and Bryan were there as well.

I honestly couldn't say that I had ever attended a Pokémon funeral. For most people Pokémon were something mysterious, something that didn't answer to the same laws as us. Pokémon lived long, a lot longer than most humans. Most would outlive their Trainers even if they were together from a young age until the Trainer's natural death. Not that much longer for the average species but still long enough that we humans were never quite touched too personally by the death of a beloved companion.

They were neither invincible nor immortal, however. Excluding perhaps the Legendaries but that was a speculative, wildly unproven subject. Death was as much a reality as it was a constant companion for Pokémon. Especially those living in the wild, away from Pokéballs, Pokémon Centers and all the other wonders of modern technology that in most cases guaranteed that they could live out their life to the fullest.

Therefore I had never watched a burial ceremony before and it was quite a sobering experience that took away quite a lot of the mysticism surrounding Pokémon, making everyone attending – I was sure of that – painfully aware that they weren't quite so different from us. They lived like us. They died like us. Those were simple truths and perhaps if everyone remembered that, understanding would be a lot better.

It was hard not to cry. However, I had resolved not to. Altaria had died bravely. Protecting his family. There had been no regret. And so I had to honor his devotion and strength. I also had to honor my promise. My promise to protect and take care of his mate and children. That would be hard enough. In the end I hadn't been able to do anything for them. In fact, I might have just made it worse by needing to be protected as well.

A gentle squeeze of my hand made me look up at Brock and I was able to push away the depressing thought. *If you hadn't been there, none of us would have been able to find them later,* he had said. I suppose that was true. I still hated myself for being so helpless, for not being able to prevent the death of one of my oldest friends.

It wouldn't happen again. Whatever it took, I would become strong enough to make the right decisions, take the right actions next time. Certainly I wouldn't be able to prevent every death but I knew I could achieve more. I had to.

The priest came to an end and with a start I realized that while I had found the whole event fascinating, in a morbid way, that I had hardly paid attention to the words. My thoughts had been drifting again and again to those old times I had almost forgotten and remembered far too late, unable to even have a true reunion with my old friend before his... passage.

Realizing everyone was waiting for me, I stepped forward, my legs feeling strangely heavy, every step seemed to take ages. My left hand gripped the bundle of flowers a little tighter. I had thought about saying something but... I couldn't find the words. I couldn't find them because I had hardly known anymore the Pokémon that had bravely died protecting his family. All I had were childhood memories, blurry and unrelated. They felt so insignificant to the present, so unworthy. That realization was finally enough and I couldn't stop the tears, dripping to the ground even as I knelt down and placed the bouquet in front of the gravestone.

"You were... my first real friend," I whispered, too low for everyone else to hear. This was for us alone. "I am sorry I didn't remember until it was too late. I am sorry for ever forgetting, for being so selfish just because I couldn't bear the loneliness. You had a good life I am sure. I mean, when I last saw you, you were just that small, often sickly Swablu and now you had become this strong, beautiful Altaria that would bravely dive into fire to save those you loved. And you did. They are safe now. And... I... I promise..." At this point I had to stop, uncontrollably sniffing and gulping until I could finish with a firmer voice. "I promise they will have a long and healthy life. I will protect them and if somehow, sometime I won't be able to, I will find people that will care for them as they deserve."

With one hand I rubbed at my eyes, stubbornly trying to wipe away the tears stinging my eyes and obscuring my vision. I had wanted to be strong for him, damn it. Slowly I stood back up and looked down at the grave, hands clasped as if praying. "So... wherever you are now, you do not have to worry about them... or me. We will be fine. Goodbye... my dear friend."

The walk back was even worse, even slower and the last pieces of finality began to sink in. That he was really gone. That all this was real. And that it probably wouldn't be the last time. Not in our line of work. However, out of this realization, out of the immense sadness this realization caused, a firm resolve was born. I would not turn away from this reality. I wouldn't cower or despair. From now on, I would work even harder to ensure that I would not have to experience this again anytime soon.

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

"No complaining both of you. I'm the Gym Leader, so it's my decision. Now get to it."

It was actually kind of cute watching them squirm and complain. The whole thing definitely made me feel more like a respected Gym Leader and less like someone who had just been thrown into the position without being consulted. That excuse was getting old anyway and I had long stopped even thinking about it. The reputation that the Cerulean City Gym had now was because of all the hard work I had – and had to – put into it. Perhaps it was time to take a little more pride in it and not see every small thing as a potential step back.

*If you push too much, you'll eventually burn out. Listen to someone who knows and still doesn't listen to such good advice most of the time.* I had to smile at the memory of Leaf saying this to me once. It wasn't a reprimand or a warning, just a friendly suggestion to give or take which made it that much more honest and meaningful.

I suppose I was well on my way to both follow that advice and do it with a clearer consciousness. Aisha had passed her initial test with flying colors. She had definitely surprised me with her battle skills, especially for someone that had never strayed far from home or participated in advanced competitions.

That wasn't to say she was excellent. To be fair I would judge her skills somewhere around the level expected of a decent beginner that had just completed their first journey and League participation. That was okay though. Good enough to build on and actually good enough to provide an extra challenge for the real rookies.

Which was going to be the point of the current exercise involving the disgruntled young boy clearly fresh on his first journey and the somewhat embarrassed and unsure Aisha. Hopefully this would give the girl some more confidence in her own abilities. It had taken me quite some time to draw them out before but once she got going...

I nodded to the referee who also watched the whole thing rather amused. "The battle between challenger Tom from Viridian and Aisha will begin. This is a one-on-one battle, no time limit. The challenger will only be able to face the Gym Leader should he win. Begin."

This wasn't really against the rules. Other Gyms occasionally used to do this as well as their own form of testing challengers. This way the Gym Leader would only face those that actually had a chance of beating them and at the same time relieved them of time and effort that could be spent elsewhere. The practice wasn't as widespread as it had been some decades back. Qualified assistants functioning in such a way were not exactly growing on trees and since they took on part of a Gym Leader's duties salaries were meant to be quite decent, which in turn could put a considerable dent in finances of a Gym which didn't have as much money to begin with.

The risk would be worth it, I decided while watching the boy start out by calling out a Bulbasaur. Technically a smart choice but not quite so effective against Aisha's Wingull. And that one was quite pesky as I had found out. I actually had to lower the limiter on Corsola just a little to deal with it properly.

Which consequently meant it would be Aisha's first experience fighting with one herself right now. But even that wasn't deterring her. Obviously she was determined to make the most out of her chance and the poor boy was far too overconfident. Not even factoring in Wingull's higher speed and the Flying type that negated his weakness to grass, he attacked directly as expected from a rookie. Even Ash had a little more sense by that time than to just attack over and over with Vine Whip and Razor Leaf. Even with the limiter Aisha had Wingull gracefully weave through the barrage and the few glancing blows hardly were enough to deter it.

"If you don't have more than that... It's our turn now," she announced. "Wingull, use Supersonic." Before its Trainer could react, Bulbasaur had already ended up confused and started to attack wildly at random, which wasn't so different from before actually.

"Bulbasaur, come on, snap out of it," Tom cried out but it was no use. Bulbasaur was fully confused and Wingull could safely position himself ideally in order to strike the final blow.

Wingull actually used very few direct attacks and Aisha had him centered a lot around confusing an opponent. Even his strongest attack reflected that. "Now, Hurricane."

With Water Pulse as further part of Wingull's repertoire, it was an ideal setup which could with some luck keep an opponent confused throughout the whole match. Not that an experienced Trainer couldn't find a way around that but I still found it quite ingenious. Perhaps I should advise Aisha to not use THAT move too much. We were a Water Gym after all.

Then again. No, I didn't think I should. "Stop complaining. Pokémon battles aren't always as simple as in theory and guidebooks. You failed to take into account Wingull's double type and got beaten for it. We might specialize in Water Pokémon but that doesn't mean all our attacks have to be that way," I admonished the young Trainer after he started complaining about the unfairness of getting beaten by a Flying-type attack.

This might just serve to beat some sense into contenders and if they proved adaptable enough, it would only be for their benefit. If not, well... there had obviously been little to begin with then.

Sending the disgruntled boy on his way to the Pokémon Center, I checked if any new challengers were scheduled and realized that it was otherwise completely empty. The lull was really getting stronger. Local news were hyping the new Contest type but also transporting the general air of unease. The fire in Hoenn, an attempted kidnapping in Sinnoh – I had been surprised to catch glimpses of both May and Leaf in the news feed but hadn't found the chance to contact Leaf about it – were only more signs that the Pokémon World suddenly wasn't quite as safe, sound and wondrous as it often seemed.

"Good work, Aisha," I congratulated my new assistant. "With some more work, we'll make you into a junior Gym Leader in no time." The other girl's face glowed slightly at the praise but otherwise took it in stride. Good, looks like her confidence was already getting up where it needed to be.

Yes, this investment would be worth the effort and money.

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**Small town east of Blackthorn City, Johto (Dawn)**

You wouldn't think that just a short time ago they had been engaged in not only a tough, high-level match but that Ash had also agonized with himself over recent actions and developments. Yes, I had been partially upset with Koga. The older man had – and I did not need psychic powers to tell – deliberately forced the match into the directions necessary to make his point. And yet, after seeing Ash bounce back like this and even Pikachu and the other Pokémon after some rest come out of it as lively as ever and perhaps even more determined to throw themselves into training than before, I couldn't really stay angry.

In fact, part of me was actually grateful. I had no doubt Ash would have overcome this eventually. The question only remained when. What Mew implied for our nearest future wasn't exactly a nice picture. It frightened me more when I wanted to admit or show. The last weeks had been a grim reminder already that the reality of the world wasn't so beautiful and simple as it had been while just travelling around innocently, chasing our dreams. Responsibility was a heavy burden and I wondered if I was strong enough to shoulder it already.

Ash wasn't upset about the tie either. He came out of the match more focused and determined, that was for sure. And that reassured me, gave me more strength to face the challenges ahead. We both needed the other to be strong, so that we could feed from this strength as well.

Despite all that, he hadn't lost his cheer and kind nature. I smiled softly from where I was sitting and watching him interact with the kids in the small border town just a little east of Blackthorn. A ferry would pass here in two days that would take us to another harbor in northern Kanto where we could go straight to our destination at Twinheart Island.

In the meantime we had some time to kill and, contrary to what could be expected after the match, Ash had suggested to keep it at merely light training and relaxing. That agreed with me personally. I couldn't remember the last time I had been able to just take a break from everything for more than a few hours. And the kids certainly were happy that a recent League Champion was taking his time to give them tips and answer some of their question. Ash wouldn't admit it, but I think he secretly liked the attention. Perhaps because he felt that not too long ago, he was one of them and would have been delighted at the chance of meeting one of his idols – which, of course he had more often than other kids could ever hope to.

Honestly, he had had such luck from the very beginning. I didn't really want to believe it was just because of his "destiny". Ash had something about him that drew others to him, rose even the interest of famous people. An often simple, yet direct enthusiasm that was easily contagious. And recently he had added a far more mature seriousness and calm to that without totally losing the first. I truly believed that what others might see as great luck or would be even more willing to explain with broad terms like "destiny" was because of his character and because he had worked hard for it.

My drifting thoughts were interrupted by the rising of voices, the general excitement in the group surrounding Ash suddenly growing stronger. I couldn't see from my position what exactly was happening, so I jumped up and slowly circled around the crowd, at the same time reaching out for Ash to glimpse what might be happening.

There was surprise, a bit of shock even, some amusement... It was hard to tell. And then I came close enough to see a boy, no older than twelve or so standing in front of Ash, clearly agitated and shouting. I just caught the end of what was obviously a heated speech. "... must be cheating in some way! There is no way that match wasn't a setup!"

Curious I leaned down to one of the kids and asked what was going on. What I learned had me suppress a sigh. It wasn't uncommon that here and there someone didn't quite believe that the match between Ash and Leaf had been altogether real. Personally I didn't quite see what the problem was. The general standard of the Master League should be around that, too. But perhaps people watched most official Master League matches far less often. Especially since none but a few high tier battles were broadcasted at best. These also quite often served as a bit of a publicity event. Only the truly dedicated knew that the level Ash and Leaf had fought was a common thing among the Elites.

The reason for the boy's – Mark's – adamant belief that Ash's victory hadn't been quite regular was quickly determined when he declared that his father was a former League Champion and so he should know that the things Ash did weren't possible in reality.

It showed Ash's growth over the last year and a half that he wasn't getting angry about the accusation but instead offered Mark a short match to show him that he wasn't cheating. I wasn't quite sure if it helped when he used Jolteon. The boy got upset that Ash wasn't using any of his winner team and even more so than Ash had calmly replied that while Jolteon was still at the beginning of training, she was more than ready.

Defeating the boy and his Bayleaf as easily as he did then, even when he tried to give Mark a chance to show his Pokémon's strengths, clearly didn't help either. I could see though why Ash did so, much faster than was technically necessary. Mark was getting increasingly upset and impatient with his ability to land a hit and was letting it out on his Pokémon. His attitude worried me and I was sure Ash was feeling the same way. I was definitely reminded of the early Paul in both his battle tactics and dealings with his Pokémon.

Mark didn't take his loss or Ash's attempts to reprimand him for treating his Pokémon the way he did well. "Shut up! I don't need to be lectured by one of the League's pets!" I gasped silently at that statement and the other kids began to mutter louder. Ash asked him what he meant and Mark seemed to get only angrier at that. "As if you don't know! You strut around here with your fancy tricks and grand speeches. Someone like you becomes a celebrity. It's obviously a setup. My father was strong, strong enough to fight with the Elites, but he was never made a Master. Some lucky kid like you who doesn't know anything about real strength, you get so much recognition for just one faked victory! I'll never accept that. One day, I'll be strong enough and then I will show the world that you and everyone else in the League are just there for image and nothing else!"

With that, before either of us could stop him, he turned and stomped away. Ash took a step after him, then hesitated and relented with a heavy sigh. It seemed reality wasn't quite done with teaching us lessons. The life of a Champion wasn't always filled with admiration after all. Resentment, jealousy and envy could just as easily become a response to the achievements of someone else.

I could tell Ash had wanted to try and talk to the boy more but also that he was unsure if he could make him see things differently that easily and in the state he was in right now.

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**(Lopunny)**

The night was certainly a nice one. Why exactly did I have these kind of conversations at night anyway? Well, okay, not like there were a whole lot. If you counted all previous attempts to get Pikachu's attention, then those hadn't even been at night. So I guess that was a useless thought.

_Geez, listen to you. That's not like me._ I suppose I dreaded this conversation a little, perhaps even more than the one that had been necessary between Pikachu and I, some weeks ago. At that point I had already known the outcome. Yes, known. Not just suspected. It had been necessary to make a clean cut, yet deep down I had long known already.

For all the intelligence we possessed and refined once in contact with humans, we Pokémon were still largely instinct-driven. That went especially for mating. Yes, mating. In the end it wasn't anything else. Some of us tried to imitate human courtship because it was fun, because we could appreciate the feelings behind them, but in the end compatibility and mating instinct were the beginning and end in order to choose a partner.

When I had seen Pikachu that day over two years ago, my own mating instinct had kicked in big time. Becoming Dawn's Pokémon, learning the joy and excitement of being on stage, giving my best, that had distracted me for awhile but I had never forgotten.

Unfortunately it became apparent, despite Pikachu's kind and best attempts, that the instinct didn't run both ways. While that didn't necessarily mean a success was impossible, it would require the one hunting to claim their prospective mate. In other words, persuade until they accept. Too bad Pikachu was already far too human-like in many aspects. Most other Pokémon who hadn't been in contact with humans and picked up on their behavior, would probably have given in. Pikachu was far more able to make a rational decision, overcoming his own instincts to some degree.

It was okay though. I did not regret the time spent trying, nor did I regret the opportunity missed. There already was another. Only that this time I was the one being hunted. Perhaps... No, that was definitely why I was dreading this conversation a little more.

"Is Dawn sleeping?" I asked quietly when the balcony door slid open.

Prinplup looked back briefly, then nodded. "Probably a lot better than the entire last year. She hasn't had any dreams for days. Now that Mew is helping her control these visions, she can call them up actively most of the time." That was true. I didn't quite understand it completely, however, the reason why she had had them like this for so long was because Dawn couldn't understand and thus harness the source of power they came from, not even after Sabrina's training. It was much better now. And all of us were quite grateful and relieved. She deserved a break from everything. Just thinking that all this was just the beginning...

I sighed. "Perhaps this isn't the best time to have this conversation." Prinplup didn't comment or reply, just looked up into the sky. With a grimace I realized I was trying to stall and that would just end up in the same way as Pikachu and I. I wasn't keen on going through that again or putting Prinplup through it. "But I suppose we waited long enough, huh?"

"A lot has happened." That was certainly true. "I'm sorry for not saying anything earlier. I just... I didn't know how to do it. You were always chasing after him and he's my best friend, so..." Prinplup heaved a sigh, briefly looking at me and then down to the ground. "I guess I was just being a coward. Even now I can't bring myself to say it."

I blinked, staring at him incredulously. That wasn't at all what I had been expecting. And it wasn't like him at all. Prinplup – well, still Piplup then – had always been brave and trying his utmost, always at the forefront when it came to doing our best for our kind and determined Trainer and Coordinator. He had never had a trouble being direct with Dawn either, if he felt she needed a good talking to.

Well, I suppose that and love were different things. In fact, Prinplup might be just as if not even more influenced by human habits than Pikachu. He was a Starter Pokémon and these, as far as I understood this, were caught young and inexperienced, sometimes specifically bred, in order to be more compatible with the beginners. If he had ever lived in the wild before – startled I realized none of us had ever asked –, then it couldn't have been for long.

I had learned from my experience with Pikachu though and wouldn't make the same kind of mistakes. "I don't think you are a coward." I'm pretty sure I did blush a little. "Actually... I think you were really brave then. It must have been a difficult decision." To be fair I wasn't even sure what I was referring to, most likely the evolution thing. But also the reckless way in which he had jumped into the attack, totally disregarding his own safety... I couldn't deny that I had thought he looked... really cool at that time.

Prinplup didn't even try to hide his own embarrassment. "Ah... You think so? Really?"

I nodded with a smile. "Definitely." Perhaps that was the upside to this new situation. That I was the hunted, I mean. I didn't really have to think too much with my mind or metaphorical feelings. His actions alone would have impressed and got the admiration of any wild female instantly.

Prinplup turned away briefly, perhaps to not show his embarrassment any further. I found it quite adorable. "It wasn't hard." I blinked, then realized he was referring to my observation again. "As much as I'd like to say it, evolving wasn't really about you and me. It was more for myself and Dawn as well." I wasn't sure if I should feel disappointed, but decided I didn't because I could understand the motivation and appreciated the honesty. Prinplup turned back to me and I was momentarily stunned by the intensity in his gaze. "However... If it hadn't been for that, even if I hadn't really wanted to... For you, I would have still done it in a heartbeat."

Okay, this time my heart definitely skipped a beat. That was so cheesy, however, I really was a sucker for all the romantic stuff, human customs or not. I smiled softly at him. "Then... Maybe we should try it out?"

His face lit up and very slowly he began to smile as well.

END 02-06a, click next to continue...


	24. 0206b: Unexpected Challenges!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 6

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Indigo Plateau, Pokémon League Headquarters Kanto/Johto (Leaf)**

Once more I found my way back here, but with the new development it had become necessary. I had really planned on checking out Twinheart Island but in the end all I had managed was to drop off May as a sort-of reward for her good work and be on my way again. I knew Lance would want a report on what happened at Jubilife and there was the matter of the prisoners.

Those kidnappers had been well-organized which meant they were definitely higher up the command chain, definitely trusted more with difficult jobs. That they were ultimately spotted, leading to this situation seemed more and more like a lucky coincidence. If they hadn't been, we might have not been any wiser and the potential catastrophe that had ensued would have been very ugly.

That, of course, only raised my opinion of May and her actions. Taking aside the sheer recklessness, she had single-handedly taken down a team of skilled criminals in a hostage situation without any of the hostages coming to harm. I was quite sure Ash and Dawn at their current level could have done it as well but May had also added a rather personal, physical aspect to it which had clearly surprised me.

_Everyone is coming along well_, I thought, trying to concentrate on more positive thoughts. I didn't want to let myself be dragged into frustration and depression. It was far too early for that. Nothing had even really begun. Keeping a positive outlook was even more essential right now. May and Misty had both shown remarkable growth, especially the former considering how little I had been personally involved in it. I didn't need to worry about Ash and Dawn. Since Mew was with them, they might end up better prepared than me in the end! I hadn't heard too much about Brock but he and his girlfriend had apparently taken an active and rather successful role in the forest fire incident in Hoenn a few days ago. Besides the young man had a good head on his shoulders and he had first-hand insight into Ash's training. I wasn't too worried that he would have slacked off, rather the opposite.

Pushing open the door to the conference room, I shoved away thoughts about the others. Both Lance and Cynthia were already here which was almost a common experience by now. At first I had been somewhat... humbled that they trusted me already that much to include me so much in the strategy meetings. I suppose it was about equal parts my direct involvement, my at times tireless work ethic and hopefully a bit of genuine trust.

That feeling had gone away over time. By now I was comfortable enough with them not to bother with formalities anymore. "Do we have anything?" I strode over to an empty chair and sat down. I didn't like helicopter flights. They left me feeling cramped and all sorts of other things. However, pretty much having a constant access was necessary and I was grateful that I did. As much as I had been travelling around over the last year, I wouldn't even have gotten half the things done without being this mobile.

"Surprisingly, yes." Lance shoved a small folder over the table towards me and I picked it up, surprised to see it was a documentation of the first interrogation session. That had been the real ray of light in the kidnapping situation that had left behind a rather sour taste for the most part. Taking the kidnappers alive could very well prove a stroke of luck, provided they really knew more about the inner goings of Team Rocket than the usual grunts.

I scanned over the information and my eyes widened, then narrowed in suspicion. "You think this is genuine?"

Lance grinned but it was without humor. "You tell me."

"It's a lead, nothing more," Cynthia interjected. "Considering how readily they parted with this information, it could very well be a diversion or a bluff." A bluff which's nature could also be to not make us trust this information. Giovanni was a devious and slippery man. He hadn't been in power without getting caught for so long with being careless. But neither had he been by being overly predictable. The worst thing was, he probably knew that we would take it like this. That in the end left only one course of action and I hated how he was playing us with this already.

Sighing, I put the folder down. "I'll check it out." Holding up a hand to stall their protests, I reasoned, "One of us has to. We can't afford to completely overlook it. I'll just take a quick look to assess the situation."

Both were quiet for a moment. I had no doubt that they had come to the same conclusion already. "Alright. But take one of the Elite 4 with you, just in case," Cynthia conceded and I nodded, seeing the wisdom in that. If it was indeed a trap, it would be better to have someone to watch my back. "I will be at Twinheart Island. This way I can keep a watch on Ash and the others and still have fast access to northern Kanto and Johto as well as southern Sinnoh."

"I'll be staying here. It gives me fastest access to both Kanto and Johto," Lance added. "We have at least two Elites on any major possible target point, so they should be able to hold the line until we can react."

Provided the strike would happen anywhere near these predicted target points. It wasn't like I didn't agree with them on their selection but none of us could be one hundred percent sure. "And Steven?"

"Will stay in Hoenn on standby, just in case. We can't leave the region entirely unprotected, regardless how unlikely it is that they'll show up there." I could understand that. It would be nice to have the other Region Champion here as well but we would have to manage somehow. "Besides," Lance continued, "he still is tied up getting to the bottom of that fire..."

I grimaced, finding some of my fears confirmed. So it wasn't a freak accident of nature after all. Or at least the others seemed to think that as well. A diversion was the most likely explanation right now. The fire had drawn resources, split our forces up even more and caused more general unrest. Yes, looking at it like that, the possibility of a non-natural cause was quite high.

"Looks like they are about to get serious, huh?" I asked rhetorically. The time for waiting was almost over. All parties involved had made their preparation. Now it remained to be seen who was better prepared for the coming storm.

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**Team Rocket HQ, Location Unknown (Giovanni)**

"Ladies, Gentlemen, welcome to our final strategy meeting." I swept my gaze over the faces gathered around the large table in the main conference room. All of them were with by far my best and most trusted agents. They had displayed their skills time and again, maintained a high success rate in their operations and were generally responsible for causing a lot of grief to the League and all it encompassed.

A gathering like this hadn't been done in years, perhaps even longer. However, now Team Rocket was ready to step out of the shadows. No longer would we be a shady, successful and large, but ultimately mere criminal organization. Now we would take our place in history as the driving force that gave the world back to mankind as it should have been from the very beginning. They despised me now and they probably would for a long time. However, the end result was all that mattered.

"Mission leaders, I would like to hear the status and readiness of your men." Of course, I had detailed reports. I knew everything was well within the allotted timeframe. Yet, hearing it personally would allow me to gauge morale, better catch irregularities. It was harder to lie to your leader – or at least attempt to smooth over minor details – in person after all.

There were none though and I didn't expect any. All of those present here had their own interesting personalities which would make them terrors on the battlefield. All of them also had the discipline I expected of my troops. This wasn't going to be a simple heist after all. It would be war... no, I'd rather like to think of it as a crusade.

Finally everyone had given their report and it was Agent Tulip's turn. As Supreme Commander, she was ultimately responsible for both the entire operation and the main assault. "The intelligence we were given has proven valid. The League has high-level personnel spread out over most of the Indigo Region. We have obtained fairly accurate data on locations and Elites on site. Furthermore Sinnoh Grand Master Cynthia will be present at the Contest on Twinhearts Island which would suggest Indigo Grand Master Lance to stay put at Headquarters." Just as I had expected. That Cynthia would be there could be a pain for that part of the mission, yet the success or failure of that part ultimately did not tangent its general outcome.

"Hmm, very good. It seems like our inside source has been doing good work again. How about the target?"

Domino nodded, not quite able to keep the satisfied smirk from her face. "They do not suspect it at all. Of course with personnel this spread out, they could be there quickly."

I smiled as well. "Which, of course, won't happen if everyone follows the plan. All teams are on standby for now until operation start. I expect all of you to finish your jobs. Every aspect of this plan is crucial to its success." Yes, soon. Soon the world will realize how utterly foolish mankind has been by relying on a controlling, weak governing system like the Pokémon League, stumping our evolution in favor of making peace with those that had robbed us of our natural superiority. "That will be all. I expect great things out of all of you. Soon the day for Team Rocket to emerge from the shadows will come!"

I smirked satisfied, hearing the answering roar of approval from my agents. Yes, everything was ready. And regardless how much our enemies thought they were prepared, they would not be ready for us.

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**Small town east of Blackthorn City, Johto (Ash)**

I thought I understood before but now I believe I understand even better. _You really have always been the mature one between us, Leaf._ Even back then, she must have realized how much responsibility came with the title of Pokémon Master. Not just for matters concerning Pokémon and human-Pokémon relations. But also the image a Master represented in public. Being a role model for the younger or more inexperienced Trainers.

It wasn't easy. I would like to say that I felt bad about not being able to talk to Mark properly, yet at that time I could tell that regardless of what I might have said, it wouldn't have made a difference. Everything I came up with in my mind sounded hollow and would most likely only serve to make the boy more angry. This was something you had to learn as a Master as well, I suppose. The ability to communicate with others, to impart your knowledge and convince others if they had taken a wrong path. I wasn't able to do that.

But should I really expect to do better than even an experienced Masters in this situation? When Cynthia had talked to Paul and me, it had still taken a long time until Paul had come around, all the way until our last match at the Championship and even now I couldn't be sure just how much he had changed.

No, feeling bad about it wouldn't change anything. I felt sad, of course, sad for the boy who was brought up believing in a false ideal. But was he to blame for that? No. I wished I had more time, time to see if I could maybe help him further. However, right now, as cruel as it sounded, I needed to see the greater picture.

"Are you sure it's okay? We still have a bit of time to look for him?" Dawn asked gently, obviously sensing the directions of my thoughts.

The battle with Koga had brought many things into perspective for me. As it was I couldn't just do as I pleased. I couldn't just run after every little thing on a whim. These times were over, for now at least. I had to concentrate on what was important.

"Yes, I'm sure. Besides I don't think he wants to be found by, no less talk to us. We would just end up wasting the little break time we have here." I gave her a weak but genuine smile. We had both earned ourselves some time off. Who knew when things would start going downhill and I doubted once that happened, there would be much time for relaxing.

Unfortunately I had not counted on one important factor in this equation and I might be forgiven that with everything else that happened, my alertness was directed elsewhere. A loud squeal was the only warning I got before there was someone clutching my arm and snuggling uncomfortably close. Someone definitely female. Someone definitely... not Dawn.

Ah. Crap.

The other girl was around my age probably. With long blonde hair, light blue eyes and... a rather impressive chest size. Not that I was actively looking but she was sort of pressing these things rather openly against my side and arm. Hey, I might be clueless at times but I am still a guy after all.

"Why if isn't Ash Ketchum! How are you doing, you handsome devil?" I cringed at both the sweet tone and the murderous look in Dawn's eyes. I tried to extract myself but needn't have bothered when the girl was none too gently yanked several feet away. Then her presence was immediately replaced by Dawn, glaring at the other girl heatedly. I wisely chose to not say a thing. Besides, I secretly enjoyed the rather close proximity...

"I don't think Ash likes being glomped by a big bimbo like you."

_Have to stay quiet. Have to stay quiet._ It hadn't happened often, most of the time we were rather good at getting away from rabid fans and almost all of them were tacit enough... or perhaps simply had enough survival instinct not to do what the blonde girl had just done. Let us just say, the last two that had tried wouldn't do it again and if asked, probably dissuade any one from trying.

The blonde girl didn't seem impressed. "Hmph. How crude. Show some respect to your betters. I have been Top Coordinator for years, freshling. But I guess I can understand that you are afraid of losing your boyfriend to a more mature woman like me. How about it, big boy? Why don't you lose this child and enjoy a real woman? After all with me you will have the real thing. Both as a woman and as a Coordinator." Dawn just glowered and I could tell she was trying to keep her temper in check. A crowd was already forming. We were right at the entrance of our hotel. This was bad. The way this conversation was going, I doubted it would end pretty.

"And just what are you implying? Miss...?" Dawn's tone was even but long experience allowed me to catch the underlying chill. She was very sensitive about her abilities and achievements. Understandably so. Dawn had worked hard on her dream and after what happened yesterday, I was sure she was reminded as well, how some people might see her rather effortless run other than the final battle with Nord this year.

"Warner. Christine Warner. Winner of both the Hoenn and Johto Grand Festival." Christine haughtily swiped her hair back over her shoulder. "And isn't it obvious? Poor Ash, constantly having to string you along. Where would you be without him, I wonder, probably still some weak little girl running after her mother's shadow." I winced again, practically feeling the heat from my girlfriend, every remark starting to melt her cool. I really should do something but the truth was... I was far too afraid of getting involved.

Christine wasn't done though and it only got uglier. "I wonder if those Pokémon of yours have really been trained by you? Honestly a little girl like you could never produce such fine quality. Yes, surely my darling Ash had to sacrifice his precious time to train them for you!"

I closed my eyes in silent exasperation, knowing that the other girl had just gone too far. Dawn could take baseless accusations fairly well, but imply the legitimacy of her skills – and with that in extension the worth of her Pokémon and their efforts – and all bets were off.

I suppose I couldn't fault her since I was the same way.

"You and me. Tomorrow." Christine was grinning at that but I was far more frightened by the grim smile promising many not nice things from my girlfriend. Clearly the other Coordinator would be in for a rude awakening.

So much for a break.

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**(Mew)**

The time was drawing near.

Okay, that sounded far too ominous... even if it was probably true. This short time spent with Ash, Dawn and their Pokémon had been... fun. Despite all seriousness, training and whatnot, I can honestly say it was the most peculiar time I've spent among humans while not having a deeper vested interest. Okay, there was interest and then there was purpose. However, there hadn't been a need for this meeting so early and as such I could enjoy this... leisure far more.

I had never quite forgotten what was at stake. How could I after all? Dawn's training alone was reminding me constantly. As much as Ash's partial and passive use of his sleeping powers had surprised and elated me, I was far more proud of my own charge. There really wasn't much more I could teach her at this point about elemental manipulation in the state things were now.

Once we got everyone together and they had to undergo their trials, we should probably take care of Dawn's trial right away. She was already as ready and prepared as one could be. Having seen her and Ash train and witnessing the battle with Koga, I had no fear that her abilities wouldn't suffice.

The others would have it a lot harder. Out of the other five, only Dawn's opposite had some training in harnessing her abilities already and that came from an inadequate source. Of course, she had done the most for our course over the last months, I knew that all too well and was rather grateful for all her work. With some regret I realized that out of all the Chosen, she was the one I knew the least about. Her contact with Ash had been before his journey and had only just recently been reestablished. She was the one that fell just a little short of the general rule that they were all drawn to him. Or more like that it had happened differently.

No, she probably wouldn't have much trouble either, even if her trial would be harder. Not all of us Guardians were as forthcoming and cooperative as myself. Not all of us were as happy with our role and the state of things... and none of the others enjoyed the freedom I had. They would need to be convinced, impressed and ultimately proven that their charges were worthy of their cooperation. The other four would really have a comparable harder time, Ash's trial included...

However, that was in the future. A rather close future I feared. I doubted it would take longer than a week at best. The qualification round for the Harmony Cup was a fix point. Everyone suspected that already. It was a logical assumption and I couldn't see Giovanni passing up an opportunity like this. He might be cautious but he was obviously out to make a point. Striking in secret somewhere wouldn't necessarily achieve that. And with IT clearly influencing him already – though I was unsure to what degree –, the situation became even more unpredictable.

Everyone was coming together as well. That couldn't be a coincidence, even if I could see some meddling from certain people high up on the ladder – which I didn't really disapprove of. Air and Light were with me. Earth and Fire would be at the Contest as well, the latter both intriguing and worrying me because of what it would mean for my charge. That was four of them already. Shadow was in rather constant contact with Water, although I wasn't sure if the former would be with the latter or come to see everyone else during the event. Or neither. She seemed to move around a lot. Yet, being already involved with the League, I could safely leave her to her own devices for now.

The time really was drawing near.

I had done all I could to prepare at least those two currently under my care for what was going to come. However, even I couldn't be sure what exactly would happen. Koga had been right, even if it sounded harsh and drastic, it would be war. What shape and nature that conflict would take was much harder to predict, however. A lot of factors went into this. What were Team Rocket's goals in this? How great was the contact and subsequent influence from IT on Giovanni? What were the organization's leader's own designs and plans? If it would have been just about the abomination that had plagued us such a long time go, that had been our fault to begin, then I could have made some rather clear assumptions on what was going to happen.

Yet, subtle manipulation had always been ITs strong point. As such, using Team Rocket like this shouldn't really surprise me. In the end they were just pawns. Even if Giovanni might delude himself into thinking otherwise. IT was merely biding time and gaining strength. As much of a threat as Team Rocket might be, IT was the real enemy.

My reflection was interrupted when the door opened and Dawn entered the room. I chastened myself for letting my guard down so much that I hadn't even sensed my own charge coming. Team Rocket might have let up on me as it seemed, but that wasn't an excuse to be any less alert.

Ash wasn't with her and now that I scanned the hotel, I noted that he was downstairs somewhere. On the phone perhaps? Well, it didn't matter. I was far more concerned with Dawn. The episode this morning had had her in a funk all day. Not that I could blame her and I had half expected her to demand a match right away. However, both her and Ash were far too adamant in their stance of not using Pokémon for personal fights. Of course, that line kind of blurred when the bond between Trainer and Pokémon was as strong as theirs. Offend one and you offend the other. And that Christine had actually offended both...

"Yes?" I asked curiously, noting her nervous look, clearly sensing that she was reluctant to breach the topic she had clearly come to discuss.

"Um... I actually have a favor to ask." And then I felt it clearly and understood. Dawn wasn't trying to shield her thoughts very much. The mischievous part of me was intrigued but the responsible part was also rather concerned.

"That's a little overkill, you know?" I said before she could verbally elaborate. "Besides, you know that I..."

"I do," she interrupted. "And yes, I could do it any other way. However, I don't want to tip my hand so close to the Contest and... I have a plan." More images and I did smirk a little. Truly devious. I actually approved. That other girl had rubbed me the wrong way from the start as well and if I wasn't so concerned that my charge's motives weren't entirely just because of the offense to her and her Pokémon's abilities than I would have agreed in a heartbeat.

I probably would anyway but... first I had to ask an important question, one that might actually help her think more rationally once it really counted. "Before I agree, let me ask you something. If this would be someone else trying to make a claim on Ash – and don't deny that's part of the reason for this match –, someone you actually knew, someone Ash actually cared about... What would you do then?"

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**(Dawn)**

"We agree then. Standard rules. One match."

It really wasn't fair. That question. Plausible, logical, the rightful concern of someone caring about my feelings and not wanting me to make a mistake, yes. Still not fair. I just wanted to be allowed to do this once in awhile as well. Ash was the most important person to me. I had a right just to be jealous once in awhile, right? If not now, then it wouldn't be ever. I knew, after all, I knew I couldn't allow my feelings to interfere with the coming events, whatever shape they may take.

Christine smirked. "Sure. Let's start already. I can't wait to have Ash for myself." Was it wrong? To get angry at this sort of attitude? This egoistical possessiveness that had no base or reason? What did that person know about Ash? What did that person know about me? What gave her the right to just appear and attempt to take away everything we worked so hard for?

"Alright, girls. Play nice. I will be your judge for this match. Ready?" The local Nurse Joy was kind enough to agree to this. Not that it was necessary. This match didn't need a judge.

It was ridiculous, I knew. Fighting her only meant she was getting to me. But for once I was tired of being the nice girl all the time. I had my pride, too. Years growing up as the daughter of a Top Coordinator, the high expectations that came with it, struggling with the reality of just how difficult it was to reach for the top. If Ash hadn't been there, I would have despaired. That much was true. That was the one thing Christine had gotten right. Yet, even that was twisted. Ours was a mutual beneficiation, I understood that now.

"Show your beauty and power! Meganium!"

Since then, that first time we met, we had grown together, step by step. And I wouldn't let anyone bedraggle neither that nor all that my Pokémon and I had achieved together. So... No, I didn't think it was wrong to do this. All my Pokémon had offered, almost begged to be the one to take down this... bitch – might as well spell it out. However, that wouldn't be enough. Going by her logic she would just say that Ash had trained whoever I used too good. How ridiculous.

It needed something more... shocking. "Spotlight... Caterpie!"

I couldn't suppress the chuckle at the looks. Even Nurse Joy looked unsure how to react. Ash knew, of course. Christine was just... God, how hilarious. She must think I had lost my mind.

"Are... Are you trying to mock me? This isn't a battle! It's a farce!" Or not. Even better. Let her think that way, it would make the awakening even ruder.

"You are right. I am mocking you. This is all I need. I just recently caught this one, so you can't claim Ash trained her." Which was technically the truth. Only that Christine had no idea what she was really facing. All she saw was a weak, downright insulting Pokémon that couldn't get any worse in a serious match... Hmm, maybe I should have gone for Magikarp after all. No, that would have been really hard to pull off and explain. "Or are you saying, you can't even defeat a Caterpie?"

Christine huffed, indignation clearly written all over face. "It's your funeral." Her type was rather easy to manipulate like this. The Contest circuit sadly held a lot of people like her. Self-absorbed, so much immersed into their own success that they forgot what being a Coordinator was all about. I had learned that lesson early on thanks to Zoey, the hard way, and I would never forget about it. Now, I could say I wanted to teach this awful person as well but that would be a lot nicer than I felt right now.

"Let's finish it in one shot. Meganium, Petal Dance!"

"Evade, then Tackle." I really didn't have much to choose from if I wanted to stay true to what was actually considered possible. Technically I only had three moves to actively use. That's all we needed though. The difference in attributes more than made up for it. If Christine realized what exactly she was facing, I wonder how she would react? However, I wouldn't tell her. Instant Transformation upon release was a tricky thing to pull off. We were talking about a Legendary with the experience of centuries, probably millennia even, though. There was no impossible in that equation.

Meganium didn't even know what happened. The Petal Dance had barely covered half the distance before it was flung away as if a Snorlax or similar large Pokémon had barreled into it. "String Shot." The threads snapped around Meganium in mid-flight pulling taunt, then _Caterpie_ pulled and Meganium actually was pulled back even against the momentum. "Bug Bite." It wasn't just one. A whole series of small, stinging but in the end both in power and quantity extremely potent attacks.

Meganium collapsed with a moan. Less than ten seconds had passed. Christine stood frozen in absolute shock and I took a small amount of satisfaction in that before trampling on the emotion. If I started to think like that I would end up like her.

Was that what Mew had wanted to tell me? Perhaps. I really didn't know. I got the feeling there was something more. There always was with her. Everything she said or did had some meaning, even if that meaning only lay in trying to lighten things up by acting silly. And, of course, I knew by now she wouldn't say anything more than she had to. In that case, the question.

_Caterpie_ jumped on my shoulder as I turned and walked away. "Ash isn't yours. Even if I wasn't here, you would be the last person he'd ever go out with. Next time, think more carefully who you pick a fight with. Pray you don't cross paths with me during the Contest because I'll actually get serious then." I couldn't quite suppress the urge for a parting jab. "Amateur."

So... Did I have an answer to Mew's question? Of course not. How should I know what to do then? I'd like to say I wouldn't get jealous. I'd like to say I would definitely handle this differently than just now. In fact, I'm pretty sure I would. However... Ash meant so much to me. The thought of someone else threatening to take him away, the thought of him somehow not being in my life anymore... I couldn't bear that. I couldn't even recall how it had been without him.

As soon as we had stepped outside, Caterpie dropped the transformation. "That was actually kind of fun." Mew giggled.

That's why I couldn't say how I would react. I would just have to wait and see. Because it would happen. She didn't ask pointless questions after all.

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**(Ash)**

This was the last night before departing. And despite all the little things that had happened, relaxing like this had been good. Mark and Christine had put a bit of a damper on it, however, not so much as that we couldn't enjoy the rest of the time. The time out from regular training and battles – those two didn't exactly count as even mild exercise – had been nice.

It would be our last true break for awhile, this much we all believed. The Pokémon were doing well, too. Lopunny and Prinplup seemed to have come to some kind of understanding and Pikachu seemed to be all the happier for it. No doubt telling Lopunny off had still left him feeling slightly guilty. Now with his friends taking first steps towards each other, it had to be a great relief.

If only love troubles would all be that easily resolved. Not that I blamed Dawn for her uncharacteristic... Yes, what exactly? Jealousy? Exertion of possessiveness? There was definitely a good bit of the former and traces of the latter. Yet neither of them were truly surprising. In fact they were supposed to be normal in a relationship. So far we never had had any problems. I think that was far more unusual. So, in a sense I was almost glad for Dawn's outburst. It definitely reminded me of how much she felt for me and how much I needed her as well.

The door to the room opened and I watched quietly and curious as Dawn entered. I had sensed her on the other side for quite some time now, feeling nervousness I couldn't quite understand and didn't think had anything to do with embarrassment over the episode with Christine. There was something else about it and for some reason it made me nervous as well.

Nothing was said and thinking perhaps that she needed some reassurance after what happened, I stood and walked up to her, reaching out to caress her cheek. These eyes were enchanting. We hadn't had many moments like these recently and maybe it had been part of why Dawn had reacted so violently. Smiling, I pulled her closer and our lips came together without any need for words, guidance or coordination. It was soft and warm, filling my heart with a raw tangle of emotion that was impossible to really tell apart. However, it was strong and wild, loving and calming at the same time. Regardless of how many times I experienced it, I would never get enough.

We did not need speech to express our feelings like this. While it couldn't be put into precise terms, the feelings conveyed were more than enough. The understanding came on a deeper, less conscious level.

And then her hands had left their place on my back, going lower, groping just a little. Shocked – although I couldn't say in what way – I pulled away from the kiss, causing a whimper from the younger girl. "Ash... please..."

Now, I admit to being a bit naïve about these things, or used to be at least. I was definitely not ignorant though and the meaning of her actions was as clear as it could get. And I honestly had no idea how I was supposed to react. "Dawn, are you sure?" Not that I was adverse to the idea. We had been together for well over a year. And personally I did not have any problem with any morale angle about our age differences. Yes, Dawn was still fairly young but then again, young children these days were allowed to go on journeys all by themselves and no one thought anything bad about this either. So... I probably wouldn't have initiated anything at this point but left it to Dawn for now to see if she was ready.

And that was the whole crux wasn't it. "Ash..." she tried to kiss me again but I gently took her by the shoulders and kept her a little away. It was quite obvious that she wasn't thinking entirely rational. As much as you could apply reason to matters of the heart. I could tell, even without her saying anything, that Christine's "challenge" had rattled her, made her afraid of losing me. Not to the other Coordinator, that had been a ridiculous idea from the beginning. No, it was obviously more the general possibility of the idea.

"Tell me why," I insisted firmly. "This is too important to rush just because you feel afraid." I wouldn't let her do something she might end up regretting later. It didn't matter that I was painfully aware that this might really be the last time for quite awhile that we would even have the privacy and opportunity to do this. I could wait. Even a year or two more if I needed to. Unlike other boys my age, I wasn't exactly hormone-driven. The state of our relationship as it was now was more than enough for me. Everything else would merely be a bonus.

Dawn closed her eyes, sighing quietly, before looking back at me, showing me the emotions going along with her words, the honesty within them. "I am afraid," she admitted. "Afraid of a lot of things. Afraid of someone taking you away. Maybe. But not really so much. I know, when we are like this, I know that my worries are groundless. That you won't give up on me. But, I am worried about other things as well. Your fight with Koga, I learned something from it as well. What we are supposed to be doing, it's going to be very dangerous. I... I can't even imagine the possibility of..."

Gently I placed a finger on her lips, not able to stand the intensity of emotion I saw reflected in her eyes. The pain and intangible fear of the unknown tomorrow. Something I understood all too well. I still didn't quite think it should be enough for a reason because that would imply we might not have enough trust in each other that we could keep the other alive. "But you still want this?"

Dawn nodded. "Not just for all of this. We've been together for so long already and it feels even longer. I can't imagine how life would be without you. So... Regardless of what happens in the future, I want my first time to be a happy memory, with the person I love above everyone and everything else."

And how could I say no to that? So much honest emotion, it made my heart pound faster and faster. I could never deny her anything because I felt exactly the same way. "I love you, too." Then we kissed again, stronger and more passionate now, breaking past the usual boundaries that none of us had dared touch upon until now. Her hands began moving again and mine soon joined into the beginning of a far different than usual dance. A dance at which's end our relationship would be on a whole different level. And I would make it count, I would make it count and be certain that this wouldn't be just the first time. Dawn deserved all the happiness she could get and if she wanted it from me, then how could I ever give her anything but my fullest attention? I definitely couldn't even think about ever having anyone else at my side, regardless of who it was.

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**(Dawn)**

_Come on, you can do this. Just reach out, open the door and go in. Then... Yes, then._ God, I was nervous. Gah!

It had sounded like such a good idea when I resolved to do this just a little after the "match" this morning. I had it all planned out, too. What I would do, what I would say. Strategies never survive first contact or something like that.

Of course, I couldn't help it. This wasn't just a trivial matter. Doing my first Contest, performing at the Grand Festival for the first time, that had been easy. This wasn't. This was real and as much as I really, truly wanted it, looked forward to it, had carefully weighed all the pros and cons before coming to this decision... This was real. It was hard. It was scary.

_So much for charging in with bravado._ I couldn't help but weakly chuckle to myself. Thinking about it had been comparable more easy. In fact, the decision had come almost natural, a conclusion to the question Mew had given me to think about last night. I thought I was ready.

Yeah, right. I think my mother would probably say something like: "When you think you are ready, you most definitely are not." Of course, if my mother knew what I was going to do, she might actually come all the way from Sinnoh, haul me back home and lock me in my room for the next ten years... if I was lucky.

Enough. This wasn't like me. Okay, maybe it was. The old me. That would get all nervous inside before a performance. I had left this me behind a long time ago though. There was nothing I should be afraid of. Ash wouldn't reject me after all. He was too kind for that. But he might think I was confused about what happened today. I wasn't. Not really. That didn't matter though.

Finally my hand grasped the handle and somehow I managed to slip in the key and turn it. A masterful achievement, I dared say. No going back now. He knew I was here surely. Chickening out would only cause questions later and if that happened, it would be just like now, only without a chance of achieving what I wanted.

I turned to him but everything I thought I could say died on my lips and vanished from my mind so fast I couldn't even vaguely recall what it had been. He really had become rather handsome. Dashing, too. Not the teenage boy who in some ways seemed much more my age or less at times, somewhat cutely naïve to some things in the world. I hadn't minded. It had been part of his own charm. Sometimes I actually missed it, however, I liked the more mature, responsible Ash just as much. The old Ash would have probably been totally clueless to what I was planning.

I watched him get up and walk over to me, my eyes firmly fixed on him. The situation was already spinning beyond my control. _Perhaps that is better though_, I thought, melting into his gentle touch and kiss. _I am so nervous. I would screw it up trying to actually ask. It's best to just show him._ Acting was actually rather easy. Just switch off reason and let your instincts do the rest.

I still felt a thrill go through me when I grasped him at a place like this. We had never gone anywhere this far. It was all strictly above the belt, so to say. Kissing was okay. Caressing, touching. Sleeping together in nothing other than what the term literally meant. But that was going to change. It had to. And it had to now.

I wasn't surprised when he broke the kiss, yet my instincts were in firm control and I couldn't help the needy and pleading whimper. "Ash... please..." I didn't want to talk after all.

"Dawn, are you sure?" Couldn't he just go along with it? We usually understood each other without words. Why couldn't he just accept this was what I wanted without arguing right now?

"Ash..." I tried to kiss him again, to silence his question and make him understand through feeling alone. Not Ash though. Not the Ash I knew and loved. He was far too considerate for that. To a fault even. Disappointed I felt myself being pushed back slightly, his gaze seeking mine.

"Tell me why," he insisted firmly. "This is too important to rush just because you feel afraid." Really, he could be just too nice and caring sometimes. Most others would have just given in at this point. As much as it frustrated me right now, it also made me love him even more for it.

I closed my eyes, sighing quietly, before looking back at him, trying to convey the depth and honest of my feelings.. "I am afraid. Afraid of a lot of things. Afraid of someone taking you away. Maybe. But not really so much. I know, when we are like this, I know that my worries are groundless. That you won't give up on me." _And I am afraid of what Mew might be implying but I won't say that right now._ "But, I am worried about other things as well. Your fight with Koga, I learned something from it as well. What we are supposed to be doing, it's going to be very dangerous. I... I can't even imagine the possibility of..."

Thankfully at this point he stopped me with a gentle finger on my lips. I did NOT want to think along those lines any further. I wanted to believe, trust and hope. It was way too early to have such despairing thoughts before anything had even really started. "But you still want this?" he asked eventually.

I nodded. I did. "Not just for all of this. We've been together for so long already and it feels even longer. I can't imagine how life would be without you." My world these days felt like it began and ended with him. He had been there from the start and contemplating a journey alone, without him by my side was unbearable. It made my heart ache. Without even realizing I had fallen so far that I couldn't even see the starting point anymore. "So... Regardless of what happens in the future, I want my first time to be a happy memory, with the person I love above everyone and everything else." And I didn't care. It was fine that way. And that was why, all those other reasons were there, they all had meaning, they all had something to do with why I wanted this now. But they didn't change the fact that I was ready. Really ready. Perhaps I had been for a long time.

"I love you, too." My heart swelled at the words and this time the kiss was much more passionate, making my heart not just flutter but create a small hurricane. And that was just the beginning of the night...

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**(Narrator aka Mystic Mew)**

Yes, still me. Let's get to it. I'm tired. I hope I find a replacement until next time...

"Finally the big day is just ahead. Everyone has learned some valuable lessons over the last month and now Ash, Dawn, May and hopefully Brock and Ako too eventually will meet again. But what will happen at Twinhearts Island? What will happen when Dawn and May cla... err, meet again? When and where will Team Rocket strike? With a dark future looming on the horizon, our heroes are facing uncertain times. Stay tuned for the next episode. We are heading for a first climax in our story!"

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**Maia's Prophecy**

**Maia: ... *looks around, then tries to say something again* ... ? *glowers at MysticMew***

**MysticMew: This is your own fault. First the random destruction, then the Narrator who decided to sue us! (I'm still surprised he actually survived!) It all cut into our budget. I know we can't do anything against it but looks like this segment has been suspended for this episode at least.**

**Maia glares, then suddenly whips out Raising Heart again.**

**MysticMew: *sighs but remains calm* Oh no, not again. I've got some insurance. *drags an uncomfortable Fate out and in front of him***

**Nanoha appears suddenly and snatches Raising Heat away from Maia.**

**Nanoha: No, not my Fate-chan!**

**Maia only gets angrier and takes out a rocket launcher and aims at MysticMew who is still holding onto Fate.**

**Nanoha: Raising Heart, Blaster 1.**

**Raising Heart: BLASTER SET.**

**Nanoha: Divine... Buster!**

**MysticMew: *watches as Maia is blown away* I'd rather call it divine justice. *nods to self***

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**Author's Notes**

That's it for this episode. We are heading to the final. I had originally planned to make it to 10 episodes, but I'm not sure if I can make four more out of this arc. Three is a more likely number plus perhaps a short epilogue? Dunno. I have to really plan this last stretch. Since we are heading for endgame now. That's why it might take a little longer before I can really start on the next one. Don't expect it in two weeks as usual lately, maybe not even three but I shall try. It's not like I don't have a good idea what will happen, most of the important events have been in mind for months, but it's getting really important now and I want to plan it out as perfectly as possible.

Before I begin my notes. An explanation and a bit of a shameless plug – though something you should all consider if you haven't already. You might have noticed that about a quarter or so through the episodes, my style got a little different. I blame what I was watching at the time and would really recommend it to you.

Maho Shojo Madoka Magika or also known as Puella Magi Madoka Magica is quite simply... BRILLIANT. I don't say this often about a series but I have to say it about this one. Even if you don't like magical girl anime at all, I would urge you to take a look and please not switch off after the first three episodes. After that pretty much all the conventions are getting shattered anyway and it gets really engaging in a rather dark, mysterious way. The plot is really, really well thought out. Everything fits together and just when you think you can't be surprised/shocked again, you are in for a new one. And all that in just twelve episodes. Superb storytelling.

So, how did this affect me? Well, I was so blown away that one of two things were most likely to happen. I would end up so humbled and feeling inadequate that I couldn't do anything or – which was thankfully the cause – we get greatly inspired. That led to a bit of experimentation especially in Dawn's perspective during her "match" with Christine and perhaps during the final scenes of Ash and Dawn as well. Not that the way I wrote some of these scenes was totally new, they actually were a lot more like some of my older works which I don't necessarily see as a bad thing.

Alright, with that out of the way, some things need to be addressed. The encounter with Mark was something I had planned a lot earlier but never found the time or space for. However, here seemed perfect enough as a small side attraction in a generally slower episode, action-wise that is. And yes, we will see Mark again. Eventually.

The same might go for Christine. Well, the Contest is coming up but she was more a means to an end. So, don't expect too much if anything at all. For once the utter humiliation was entirely meant that way as you probably guessed already. The Mew transformation scene was one of the small ideas that was floating around my head pretty much since the initial setup for the story, I just wasn't sure how exactly it would happen. So I had to put it in.

I hope you liked the last Ash and Dawn scenes. That was hard to write because it was such a big step and I really wonder how many feedback the likes of "they are/Dawn is too young!" I'll get. I tried to explain it as best as I could. First of all Dawn is fourteen right now. She has been through two Grand Festivals, became a Top Coordinator, was trained in psychic powers, is trained by a Legendary and generally has seen/participated and been destined to face another possible apocalyptic battle... Give her some break. There is definitely no loli intention here. I'm more of a firm believer in mental over physical maturity. If it isn't enough that in the Pokémon World ten year old kids are allowed to travel by themselves without a guardian while there are creatures that can freeze, burn, electrocute or other such dangerous, possibly lethal things... Well, I think after all Ash and Dawn have gone through and are faced with, most normal people at legal adulthood are probably less ready. End of discussion. If you want to comment, then please tell me if I got the emotions across, that's far more important to me.

That being said. No, there isn't a lemon. I might do some later and put them in a separate file if I ever feel like that, but not in the main story. After all, I actually know what the rating M means, unlike some people who blissfully ignored this for ages and then suddenly went into a craze of their stories suddenly getting deleted when all I could really see was a reminder about the rating... Right, I don't want to get into this discussion. I found it all rather... bizarre.

Back to the story. The funeral was once again one of these unplanned things that fit surprisingly well with the plot. I honestly can't say why I did it like this, I didn't even have much of a reason to be in such a sad mood. As for unplanned things... Now that I have established a firmer plot, such things are bound to happen once in awhile. Our creative minds are set in the rules and goings of the reality we have created after all. ^_^ And I was quite glad about the scene, even Twilight commented that it fit well here.

That's about everything important for now. I apologize for one thing and have to reprimand both myself and Maia for this neglect. The lack of Jessie, James and Meowth. We had something planned for them and it was supposed to be in this episode... So what happened? Didn't fit in? I wish. Err, we just remembered after we finished the episode that we wanted to do something with them. Yeah, I know... *ashamed*

BUT it'll be next episode, right at the beginning (it practically has to or this won't work out anymore). So look forward to something of our favorite annoying villain trio.

With that I leave you be and Maia and I will go back to planning. Please don't forget to review... or she really might kill me before we finish the arc.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	25. 0207a: Prelude to Finale!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 7

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

Don't have anything to say here other than this episode marks the beginning of the end of Arc 2. Two more episodes plus perhaps an episode max after this. I wanted to do 10 for a nice round number but unlike an epilogue comes and gets too big to be called that, it won't work... Well, we had 3 prologues already, so...

If you like and have it available, I suggest you listen to 1000 Words from Final Fantasy X-2 during the final May scene of this episode. It helped me writing that one. I like the orchestra version quite a bit myself but either will do.

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**(Narrator)**

A blue sky with nary a cloud, the sun is shining brightly. We see Ash and Dawn standing on a hill overlooking the stretch of beach, their ferry can be seen departing in the distance. "Finally they are here. After much sidetracking, shocking and life-changing encounters and revelations, Ash and Dawn have reached the site of the first qualification round for the new Harmony Cup. It remains to be seen how much they can concentrate on the event after all they have learned. But for now they are all fired up to go."

"I can't wait. This will be the first time Top Coordinators from all regions gather and battle each other," Dawn exclaims excitedly and skips ahead. Ash just smiles fondly and follows after her. But then...

Suddenly the ground gives in and the two crash down a long hole! Somehow this is familiar... And just as I am thinking that.

"Listen, is that a voice I hear?"

"It's speaking to me loud and clear."

"On the wind!"

"Past the stars!"

"In your ear!"

"Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace."

"Dashing hope, putting fear in its place."

"A rose by any other name is just as sweet."

"When everything's worse, our work is complete."

"Jessie."

"And it's James."

"And Meowth, now dat's a name!"

"Putting the do-gooders in their place..."

"... we're Team Rocket..."

"… in your face!"

Ah, I thought so. "It looks like our favorite villains are back after such a long absence and their timing, as always, sucks... or does it?"

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**Opening Theme (Shining Days, Mai-HiME)**

A blue, cloudless sky. Mew flies into the picture and performs a few twists, turns and loopings, writing the series title into the air. The camera zooms in on Mew's face and it looks like the viewer is drawn in.

_aozora ippai ni_

_watashitachi no omoi ga chiribamerarete yuku_

Ash and Dawn are standing together on a hill, holding hands. Dawn leans closer and Ash embraces her. They lean in for a kiss.

_unmei no hito ga anata nara iinoni_

_genjitsu wa umaku yukanai_

The scene fades out from a television frame. May is sitting in front, watching with longing. Naru jumps into her lap and she smiles in determination, jumping up as the scene fades around her.

_hikaru kaze no naka_

_yume no hane maioriru yo_

Misty is swimming in a pool. She stops to float on her back, then submerges into the water. In the reflection she sees Leaf and reaches out uncertainly with conflicted feelings on her face.

_yuuki dashite mirai e_

_sou utsukushiku..._

Misty breaks the surface of the water with a leap, suddenly at a beach. Leaf is sitting on the shore and waving at her.

May is running towards a faraway image of Ash and Dawn with a smile of determination.

_ugokidasu atsui kodou ga_

Ash and Pikachu are running over a plain, jumping over hurdles and Pikachu letting loose lightning attacks.

_ano hi to onaji hayasa wo kizamu yo_

A split screen of Dawn and May. Piplup and Buneary are creating a giant ice stadium and Beautifly is dancing within a Ninetails flames (see Episode 1 for both). Dawn and May are looking towards each other as if they were in the same place.

A brief flash of Brock and Ako standing together with Flareon and Leafeon.

_massugu na manazashi ga suki_

_zutto miteitai_

Short image of Giovanni in his office with a dark disembodied form behind him.

Scene switches back to Ash, arriving at a hill. Looking up he smiles seeing Dawn, May, Brock, Ako, Leaf and Misty standing atop and waiting for him.

Camera shifts up into the sky and from where it fades out of Mew's eye again who flies down and into the prior scene, landing on top of Dawn's shoulders.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Episode 07: Prelude to Finale! What Will the Uncertain Future Bring?

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Ash)**

"Okay, am I the only one that is feeling weirded out?" I asked rhetorically as we got closer to the large Contest Hall that would host the event.

Dawn shrugged next to me, nursing a small bruise from her fall. "You tell me. You know them longer. I can sort of understand why they would do that. Still, you are right. That really came out of the blue."

In the first place I still couldn't believe we got caught by one of their oldest, most basic traps. I wasn't ten anymore, damn it! Perhaps I had been a little too comfortable and inattentive not to notice anything. The ferry trip was for once entirely uneventful and what rest we couldn't quite get back in town, we had gotten on the ferries. Of course, I couldn't quite deny that the new... state of our relationship had something to do with my general content and happy mood.

Something had definitely changed. There wasn't a repeat after the first time but it had been enough to give our love a whole new meaning and depth. I felt even closer to Dawn now, stronger and more firmly rooted, but also even more protective and determined to see her happy and safe. As much as I had worried that her aggressiveness that night had been rushed, a reaction to recent events, I didn't regret what we did.

So, perhaps it was to be excused, if I was a little less attentive. I did get my rude awakening after all and perhaps it had really been better to be in this way than while facing real danger.

**Flashback**

The heck? I stared up at the three figures that I hadn't seen for quite awhile. At the beginning I had expected them to jump out behind every corner and while I never quite thought that they had completely given up on us, not after giving me so much grief over all the years, it was still strangely... comforting to have something so routinely _normal_ happen.

They had been far less on my mind lately, though. Which shouldn't be surprising. The rest of Team Rocket was suddenly far more important. The rest, yes... With some chagrin I realized I actually thought of them and the trio separately, not even really thinking about the implications of the three of them being an actual part of the organization threatening the stability and peace of our world.

Even making that realization, it was still hard to bring the two of them together in my mind.

Giving Dawn a worried look as she was rubbing her shoulder, I glared up at the two humans and the Meowth. "Alright, what do you want this time?" And did I really have to ask? Pikachu was already madly charging up to send the three biggest annoyances of my life flying. "You realize your chances of actually getting even one of our Pokémon is almost non-existent?" I stated bluntly.

"Ha!" Jessie exclaimed. "Do not pretend to know our plans. Our mission today is far more important. This time we will..." It was at this time that she took a step forward in her dramatic pose. Seeing as they perched right on the edge of the hole... Well, the end result was rather obvious. Thankfully the hole was big enough – which I found quite curious to begin with – and we could jump out of the way when the three of them came tumbling down as well.

However, we soon realized that this action hadn't been one of their usual clumsy blunders. "Alright, twerps. We don't have much time, so shut up and listen," Jessie said after dusting herself off, her face suddenly very serious and so much unlike her usual expressions that it actually made me swallow whatever comment I might have ready. I couldn't see any signs that they were getting ready for a fight either and Dawn also seemed confused at the lack of hostility. Which meant she probably didn't sense anything either. Mew was completely relaxed which pretty much cinched it for me.

"That's right. We cannot hold them off for you any longer," Meowth began and I was really starting to wonder what kind of strange turn this encounter was taking.

**End Flashback**

In the end it really was kind of shocking. Not so much what they had to tell us, but more so that they did so in the first place. Apparently their boss had handed them a new order around the time the Sinnoh League had been finished last year. That one had made it unmistakable clear that Giovanni wanted us removed. Permanently.

It hadn't set well with them. Being thieves was all well and good for them apparently, but even if they didn't come out and say so directly, actively killing someone obviously was a line they didn't want to cross. *We might have been at each others' throats the whole time, but we kind of grew to like you guys,* James had admitted. I actually did recall quite a few times when things got really hairy – world ending hairy – that the three of them had actually forgotten our animosity towards each other often enough and even went against orders.

Perhaps they really had some good in them after all. That didn't mean I could stand them suddenly but I had to admire the courage they were obviously taking with this step. Apparently they had been tailing us for the last year but now their boss's patience had obviously run out.

Of course, we had known already that we were rather likely on their target list and not just to steal our Pokémon either. Knowing that on a theoretical and abstract basis but hearing someone spell it out for you was somewhat different though. It made you actually think about the possibility and that's when it really began to sink in.

A powerful, criminal organization was out to kill us.

It wasn't a nice thought.

I glanced back at Dawn. "We definitely have to watch our backs now. I doubt something happens directly at the Contest but everywhere in between or after..." I trailed off with a frown. I wouldn't let it happen. No one would harm Dawn on my watch. I would make sure that she could fully concentrate on the event as well. Because despite everything that was already on our minds, she was excited to measure herself against so many other Top Coordinators. And I didn't want to spoil that experience for her.

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**Sky over Johto (Leaf)**

For the record, I still thought this was a waste of time. There were so many aspects that didn't add up. First of all the target given was far too obvious. It was the same as Twinheart really. Would Giovanni really do something as obvious as attacking Ecruteak. The only real value the city would have to him would be Bell Tower and I had no idea if the place was even important for us to begin with.

Therein, of course, lay the problem. Bell Tower was a mystical but even more so a historical place, perhaps about the most important historical landmark in Johto. If something did happen and we ended up ignoring it because we thought it was a ruse anyway, then there would be a public outcry about the League's lack of responsibility. Which would serve Team Rocket quite well, I suspected.

I suppose what annoyed me the most was that it would quite likely draw me away from the action. Yes, yes, I had offered. I had offered because everyone else was mostly accounted for in key positions and perhaps because I was so used to moving all over the place.

The next couple of days would be crucial. The Contest on Twinheart would start today. The most opportune time to strike would probably be at its height. Which meant the final in now a little less than two days. We should hit Ecruteak in a few hours but getting back until then might be a problem.

Of course, I wasn't alone thankfully. "I'm seriously glad that you are here. Would be rather boring by myself," I said jokingly to my companion. We both knew it was meant in a different manner and none of us needed to spell it out. Still, I was glad on a personal level with the help I had on this mission.

"I'm sure between the two... well, three of us we shouldn't take too long," Anabel replied and I grinned slightly at her knowing tone. I couldn't hide anything from her after all. Frankly, the young Frontier Brain with her level of empathy should have been a candidate for one of us. And I did sense a tremendous amount of power from her, too. I had to wonder if she was keeping something other than her empathic abilities secret from the general public.

We had hit it off quite easily and it hadn't been much of a surprise that she had developed a bit of a crush on Ash. Nothing too serious thankfully. I wondered, if she had swung my way, would I have been able to resist? Probably not. But it was too late for that now as well. We were good friends and that was enough for me, even if she was teasing me endlessly about my "far too obvious longing" ever since picking her up for the trip.

Well, excuse me for thinking of my girlfriend whom I hardly got to see because I had to prevent a criminal organization with sinister ambitions from taking over the world!

Anabel giggled and I scrunched up my nose. "That's so adorable."

"Alright, enough! How about you, huh? Still crushing after Ash or is there someone else?" I grinned at seeing her blush. There really wasn't much else to do than casual banter. We had long gone over everything we wanted to once we reached Ecruteak and met up with Morty. And just doing nothing really did lead to boredom, which led to worrying thoughts which led to frustration.

"That's none of your business."

I laughed. "Suuuure, but you were still blushing when I said his name." Anabel tried to hit me but I blocked her half-hearted attempt. "You are only digging your grave deeper, missy. You ARE still pining after him." Which I had hoped not to be the case, so I did allow myself some concern for my friend. Really she had even less chances than over a year ago now.

Anabel huffed. "I don't pine after him. I can't stop what I'm feeling but I do know when there is a hopeless case, you know." True enough. For her age, Anabel was rather mature in that we were rather similar. It was no surprise she had made it to Frontier Brain this early. Technically I knew that she was even better than Brandon should they ever fight full out, all limiters removed. I did once... and got horribly beaten, no joke. That had been awhile ago and I would think I'd do better now but it went to show just what kind of rare talent that girl had. Really, all Brandon had over her were his overpowered Gigas.

And it wasn't just with battle skills either. Her empathic skills made her very useful to anyone on her side and very dangerous to anyone against her. Knowing the feelings of others so easily, allowed her to make judgments with a far more mature disposition than most adults twice her age.

"It would be better for you. The poor boy is going to have enough on his plate right about now." It was about the most interesting passage of the small bit that Zoroark had known about the prophecy. I really had to wonder how Ash would cope. Telling him in advance wouldn't have mattered, at least not in making the decision easier. It would have just made them feel pressured. And you can't force love. I knew that. A love that was rooted in less than total honesty wouldn't save anyone, much less the world.

"Well... I've never met Dawn except from what I've seen on TV but I'm not that surprised about May. Her feelings were quite open already back then. I suppose she just didn't know them herself at the time." Anabel turned her head to look out of the window. "But you are right. It's going to be tough for them. Ash has a good heart but he can also be rather stubborn. He might not understand May's intention the way she wants them to... I hope they'll be alright."

"You and me both," I agreed but I wasn't all that worried. Anabel was right that Ash had a good heart. A big one as well. If anyone could find it in himself to find room for two, it should be him. I was more worried about Dawn and how she would take it. I definitely knew how I would in her situation.

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (May)**

One would almost think it was the Grand Festival all over again. The Contest Hall was comparable small – at least in proportion to what they had orchestrated for this year's Kanto Grand Festival, from what I had seen on TV at least. Still, the atmosphere was similar... no, perhaps even more hyped.

That shouldn't be too surprising. To my knowledge there hadn't been an event like this ever before. Oh sure, Top Coordinators certainly would fight each other. But that was more for a personal, private assessment of who was the better. It never really reached the broader public. Contests had really made a great evolution over the last years and it seemed like I had jumped on board just in time.

All that was strangely secondary though and didn't hold my attention longer than it took for me to spot them in the crowd of people inside the registration hall. I almost missed them. Seeing it on TV was one thing but they certainly had changed over the years. The last time had been almost two years ago, during the Wallace Cup. Yes, then. At that time everything had changed and had become so complicated.

Was this really okay? I knew I had resolved to do this but... So much had happened between then and now. I had tried to banish it but the kidnapping had left a mark... or more like the events following it. Was this really the right time and place? Our world was on the brink of... something. I couldn't say what and I was afraid of even trying to think about it. However, something was happening and would I really want to make things more complicated?

Maybe it would be best after all, if I... With a start I realized that I had stood up and waved at them and before I could correct my instinctual reaction, it was already too late.

What a fool. I knew what Naru would say if she were out here and not so reluctant to let everyone know she could speak our language. Doubting myself again. I knew, of course, deep down, that what I was trying WAS foolish, ultimately doomed. However, those were my feelings. And I needed this. I needed closure. I would try, with all I had. If at the end nothing would come off it, I would hopefully be able to put this behind myself.

"May! I didn't know you would be here, too!" I couldn't help but smile, with just a touch of bitter sweetness. So bright and cheerful. She had struck me where I had least expected it, too, and where I had no defense against it. I did NOT want to hurt her but I knew how she would probably take it at first. I hoped she would at least understand that my feelings for her were equally as strong as for Ash.

_Not so fast, you shouldn't just jump on them right away_, I tried to reign in my emotions at seeing the two people, that had torn me apart inside for these last years, again, only to almost give myself away with a blush at how that particular thought sounded... "Yeah, well," I laughed, trying desperately to cover for my reaction. "We made our titles practically at the same time and I couldn't just let this chance go, right?"

Ash scratched his head adorably. He really had gotten quite handsome, a well-trained body. And tall, definitely taller. Hmm... No, bad May! This wasn't the place and time. "Um, you did? Ah, wait, I think I heard..." Dawn and him, glanced at each other and something was passing between them which I didn't get and made me seem only further away from them. "Sorry about that. We meant to call but something VERY urgent came up and we had to leave in a hurry right after."

Dawn chuckled and looked apologetic. "That's right. And after that... It's just been a crazy month, one thing after another, you know. It kind of slipped our mind." I narrowed my eyes slightly. They knew something. Something far more than just a vague feeling. I remembered that night. The night after Dawn's victory and the strange feeling that had kept me awake almost the entire night.

Out loud though, I said. "That's okay. I didn't call either and when I couldn't reach you afterwards, I just forgot to do so later." A bit of a small lie myself, I guess. It had been rude not to call. I had watched and had been finished a day earlier, but speaking with them with all the confusion in my heart, I had been afraid of letting something slip. So I really had no right to feel suspicious or left out about their activity.

The somewhat awkward moment was saved by someone else at this moment thankfully.

"Look at that. It's like a big reunion." We all looked towards the voice and I smiled slightly but genuine happily at seeing Brock.

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"Wow, that's some story," I noted after hearing the account of Brock and his girlfriend's adventure... no, wait that's fiancée judging by the ring! As if the former wasn't enough of a shock. It was certainly enough to make me completely forget for the moment about my plans of confessing to Ash and Dawn.

Brock with a girl, that was unconceivable enough. Brock getting married, that was mind-blowing. Mind-blowing enough that I didn't even think about getting depressed that everyone seemed to have found someone and only I was left with the impossible choice... or non-choice.

"I could say the same thing about you, May," Ash said. After Dawn had went and took care of her registration, we had all sat down and talked about what everyone had been doing since we last saw each other. "But I guess Dawn and I hardly are the ones to talk." Well, that's right. Mostly Brock, Ako and myself had been recounting events. It was their turn now and I couldn't help being somewhat curious.

"Is that why YOU are here," Brock asked pointedly, looking at something beyond Dawn... no, now that I noticed, it was more like he was looking straight at something over or on Dawn's right shoulder. But there wasn't...

No there was. A shimmer. Some kind of outline. It was getting clearer, then suddenly took full shape.

"Ah. You saw me. That's because you were there at that time. I can't hide my presence from you and the other girl as I can with others."

I gasped and Ako did the same. Was that...? Yes, no mistake about it. This was most definitely a Mew sitting casually on Dawn's shoulder!

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**(Brock)**

We had barely made it in time. To be honest, I was surprised we actually did and surprised at the reason. It had been Ako who pushed for a quick departure. Before the events at Aprico Village I would have placed such a behavior more under the need to get away from the place of such traumatic events. Yet Ako wasn't the same anymore. Something had changed subtly. More so than any of the crisis training at the academy or my attempts to force her into taking the possibility of battle more serious had achieved quite what these last days had.

There was nothing to show you what the real thing was like than a real situation itself, I suppose. Altaria's death had left a deep impression on her. There was a seriousness and focus now that hadn't been there before, not in this intensity. She knew now, she knew that the world wasn't as easy and forgiving as life at Heal Bell. People could die and Pokémon could die as well. And so she knew that anything less but our absolute best would result in more such sad memories. It was a sobering thought, for me as well.

Seeing everyone again, including May, was a nice change from these dark thoughts, even if we managed to quickly get back to these memories during the conversation. Ako was clearly enjoying herself as well. I had told her so much about my friends but this was the first time they had actually met directly in person. I was glad that the others seemed to like her right away. Not that I felt it was that difficult. Ako wasn't the type of person you could dislike, even if you wanted to.

I listened intently to the story of May's involvement in the kidnapping incident. To be honest, I hadn't even heard about that one. With how busy the last days were, I hadn't been able to stay up-to-date on the recent events. I had also not felt much like watching the news while we were staying in Fortree since that would only remind me more about our own situation. Surely the news had been busy with the forest fire incident.

It seemed like we weren't the only ones with more or less exciting experiences though. May's account was fascinating. She had definitely grown, if she had really been able to pull off what she claimed and I saw no reason why she should lie or unnecessarily boost. Well, she did leave out a few details, especially on how exactly she was able to take out several skilled kidnappers all by herself! She did touch on having received some martial arts training from Maylene but I wondered if that was all there was to it. And then there were the concealed looks she was throwing Ash and Dawn again and again. I KNEW that look and I really had to wonder if it could mean trouble between my friends.

All that was overshadowed though by the constant distraction of what I had seen as soon as we had spotted and joined up with the three of them. The Mew sitting casually on Dawn's shoulder... and no one else seemed to be aware of it. No, I was quite certain Dawn was and if she was, then Ash would be as well. Either May knew and kept quiet about it as well – which I doubted since it didn't seem like they had met up for more than a few minutes prior to our arrival – or she just wasn't... aware of it. We were talking about a Legendary here, after all. And even little Zorua had been able to fool us until the very end with her Leaf act during the Sinnoh League.

Why could I see it then? Because we met before? That was likely. What worried me much more were the implications. I knew firsthand Ash's tendency to get into these kind of situations, meeting up with a Legendary wasn't as uncommon for him as it was for the ordinary person. However, travelling with one, as was apparently the case... What kind of situation warranted something like that?

Finally Ash did provide the opening for me to ask without sounding rude or stupid and I thought I saw a brief glow around Mew. Judging by the reactions from May and Ako, it became obvious that they could see now as well.

"Ah. You saw me. That's because you were there at that time. I can't hide my presence from you and the other girl as I can with others." Almost immediately the small Legendary floated into Dawn's lap, which effectively hid it from being seen by anyone other than coming straight past where we were sitting while actively looking. So it really had been some form of invisibility then. The Breeder part in me was fascinated since I hadn't heard of a skill like that. Of course, the true scope of a Legendary's ability was vastly unknown.

The same probably went for the fluid speech but that didn't really surprise me that much anymore after everything else. Mew hadn't show capacity for speaking our tongue then. However, it could have simply chosen not to. There was far too little known about the Legendaries to make accurate assumptions. I could take that in stride. What I really wanted to know was why it was here and how it came to be with my two friends. From the way Ash had worded it before, there definitely was some story behind it that could easily keep up with ours and May's.

I was beaten to questioning further by May though. "That's why you didn't call after the Grand Festival and why you said you had to leave in a hurry. That night after your final," she nodded towards Dawn, "I had this strange feeling I couldn't quite explain that kept me up almost all night." My eyes widened slightly at that. May, too? What was going on here? And were we the only ones? This seemed to be far too obvious for a coincidence.

"I know you have questions but this isn't the best place and time for them. I will tell you everything soon, so please be a little patient." I narrowed my eyes – even more than usual. I really did not feel like waiting. My curiosity had definitely been piqued and a big part of me wanted some answers. I did not like being out of the loop after all of the training I had done myself.

Unfortunately Dawn cut in before I could even start to press for an answer. "I think that's a good idea. May and I are here for the Contest after all and you guys have your own work to do, right? Besides, there is something that would interest me much more." I inched back in my seat a little at the mischievous look the girl was sending me. Danger signs were already popping up all over my mind but it was too late already. "I mean I am still surprised you've got a girlfriend... But I wonder, is that ring what I think it is?"

Yep, doomed. There was no way I could bring the conversation back on track now. May would jump right in and once they got going...

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

"Do you think this will be enough?" I asked, putting down the folder after skimming through it and looking dubiously at the League Official across from us.

The surprise far outweighing the irritation actually made me grin inwardly. I bet he was more used to people asking him the opposite question. However, I would have hoped he had been better briefed. While Leaf said only the higher-ranked League officials were aware of us – our role, not our relationship –, I would have expected that word of Leaf spending a lot of time here should have gotten around. I would need to explain a bit of this to Aisha as well since she was officially my assistant now.

So, of course I was worried. Security measures for the cities were apparently distributed everywhere. This mostly meant an increase in police, reinforced by resources from the League. The plans for Cerulean were pretty low-key though from what I could see after skimming through them.

The man across from us had caught himself quickly enough. "Cerulean isn't on the top priority list of possible targets. However, key personnel is deployed all around here, so even if something were to happen, I am sure help will be here quickly enough."

I snorted, not quite so optimistic. Help should have been here quickly enough after the incident at the cave as well. And surely Team Rocket had shown they were good at diversionary tactics. Sighing in defeat, I put the folder in my bag. There was no point in arguing with the man. Orders came from high up and I knew from Leaf that the League had enough trouble as it was with their resources. They needed to prioritize. Besides, they were probably right. What would an attack here achieve? "Alright, thank you for the information. We'll be sure to hold down the fort."

"Actually," the man interjected, "it's probably more likely that you'll be called on for additional support elsewhere. So please remain on standby for the next few days."

Wonderful. Well, that at least meant I had a valid excuse for closing down the Gym. In fact, looking over to Aisha who seemed a little nervous being a part of such a serious and important meeting, it was about time I bonded a little more with my new assistant outside of official business.

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"Here you go. It's your advance for the month." I grinned a little at the shocked look from the other girl. Surely she hadn't expected to get something this quickly. But never let it be said that I would be stingy with expenses for the Gym. Unlike some... other people I hardly put that much into personal things and appearance. Having the Gym run smoothly was far more important to me.

Aisha reluctantly took the money. Not that it was much. A small percentage of a monthly salary based on the few days she had started to work for me in earnest plus a little extra. "Ah, dinner and this... You are spoiling me, Mi... Boss." She was worth every Pokédollar that was for sure. In this small time her presence alone had relieved me of almost half my workload. Seriously, the challengers were just one thing. Considering the lull as of late both of us hadn't had a lot to do. Still, ever since the first trial match I had made a point to have every challenger run through Aisha. Many got annoyed but as word got around, they took things a lot more seriously.

"Nonsense. You are a huge help. I would never have gotten all the extra training done without you." The little things made the biggest difference. Aisha took over a lot of the daily labor. Pokémon feedings, pool maintenance, all these little things necessary to keep the Gym running smoothly which otherwise would cost me hours every day. And she was very efficient. To a point that I caught myself wishing she had come to Cerulean earlier than this. "And please just call me Misty." It was kind of flattering to be called "Boss" but we weren't that far apart in age and I'd rather have her as a friend than just a coworker. I didn't have too many that weren't strewn all around the regions. Including my girlfriend...

"Thinking about her again?" I almost choked on the meat I had just taken a bite from and looked at Aisha curiously at the directness of that question. She wasn't exactly a shy girl but so far had shown that she wouldn't breach personal matters unless the other person did so first. A nice professional attitude, though it sometimes came over as a little too serious. "Ah, I didn't mean to pry. It's none of my..."

I waved her off and took a big gulp from my water, actually emptying the glass and then what was left in our bottle. "Mou, don't worry about that. I bet you were surprised to hear about me being with another girl." I signaled the waiter for another bottle and returned my attention to my meal.

"That's not the problem," Aisha replied quickly and serious. "Everyone should be free to choose what and who they like." I smiled slightly at the honesty, definitely a huge step up from the grief my sisters had caused me and Leaf. "I'm more surprised it's actual someone so famous!"

At that I laughed, a little embarrassed and perhaps just a little proud. Just a little. "I can't take too much credit for that. She just dropped into my life, literally, and couldn't stop flirting with me. As for being famous... Well, I don't really feel like it is a big deal. Perhaps because I used to meet quite a few famous people when I was still travelling, my best friend from then is now a League Champion and probably well on his way to a Master himself." And while not saying it because I thought it might sound too arrogant, I had done a lot to raise my own reputation. So perhaps, putting me closer to Ash and Leaf's class these days wasn't that farfetched.

Aisha smiled. "You really are amazing, Misty. Few people experience even a tenth of what you probably have at your age." A slight blush rose to my cheeks at the compliment but it was nice to hear a confirmation of my own unvoiced thought. Between Leaf and Aisha I could honestly say I had gotten a lot more confident in my own abilities and their worth. Not to a degree that I would slack off but enough to pull off something drastic like with my sisters. I wasn't sure if I could have done that some years ago. No definitely not.

We ended talking a lot more about Leaf. After Aisha realized I didn't mind her interest, she quickly got curious as to what I liked about her. And that was something I wouldn't easily get tired off. In fact I was glad to do simple girl talk about one's beloved. I really didn't have anyone else for that. It seemed Aisha was proving her worth even outside the Gym and that the lonely days as a Gym Leader were suddenly not quite so lonely anymore.

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Ako)**

"They are all very nice and um..." I struggled for a better word because I felt "nice" was such a common, noncommittal term that it bordered on insulting or at least non-descriptive. "... very energetic," I finally settled on something that I found appropriate. I really had liked talking to May and Dawn and hoped I could do more so later. Contests fascinated me and to have the chance to hear about it from two fresh Top Coordinators was something I didn't want to miss out on. But that would probably have to wait for later. One could easily tell the tension and anticipation in the air. They were obviously very much fired up for this event. And we had our own duties, too, after all.

While May and Dawn seemed nice enough – and I really meant it like that – I wasn't quite sure yet what to make of Ash. I had heard so much about him from Brock, however, the image in my mind didn't quite match reality. From all the stories I imagined an energetic and somewhat brash boy, kind but sometimes a little over the top. The young man I had met in the lobby was noticeably quieter, composed and with an aura of focused seriousness and readiness. Yes, Brock had said that he had changed before the Sinnoh League tournament but this much? He came over more as a seasoned soldier ready to spring into action.

Noticing Brock's stare, I looked back, then after several seconds we both laughed slightly. I suppose my comment still sounded somewhat forced. It wasn't like we had talked much other than about what happened to us and May before the shocking revelation... I still couldn't believe I had seen a live Mew! Perhaps more shocking than that was how... casual everyone had been around a Legendary Pokémon.

"Well, I was glad to show off my fiancée," Brock beamed and I was sure I was blushing quite heavily, immediately recalling once more that surprising and wonderful moment.

**Flashback**

The night sky was beautiful up here. For this alone I was glad that our pilot had taken a small stop here for the night. The island was out of the way of normal travel routes but a bit of an insider spot for its fantastic beaches and hotels. They were quite expensive, too, so normally we wouldn't be able to afford it. For that one night a rather luxurious suite had been reserved for us. Our pilot had called it a bonus for the great work.

Great work, right. I wish it had really been great work. No... No, that wasn't fair to all the other Pokémon we had managed to save. Altaria wouldn't have wanted that. It had been hard but I had come to terms with his... passing and with the fact that he surely would have rather been remembered for the good and not the bad. Therefore I would not mourn him any longer. That was the least I could do in his memory.

We had done a lot of good. Downplaying that and working myself into a sorry state because of not being able to save him would neither bring him back, nor would it help the many others who would still need my help in the future. Next time would be different. Next time I would be stronger. I had promised that at his grave and I would keep that promise.

"Such a sad expression does not befit a beautiful lady."

I turned with a gentle smile. Brock had stepped out onto the rather large balcony as well, the pale moonlight shimmering across his face in a mixture of shadow and faint light. I knew he probably worried about me and my state of mind after the funeral, even though I had tried to let him know that I had moved passed all this. I suppose it was natural to worry. I would as well.

"I'm not really sad. He wouldn't want me to. And so I would live. Live and save many more lives." But I realized then that I was wrong. It wasn't worry, not foremost that I could see in his gaze. There was something else. Nervousness? What for?

"I'm glad to hear it. You've really grown stronger through all of this." I ducked my head slightly at the compliment. I would like to say that wasn't true, that I hadn't been strong at all. However, that would only lead my thoughts down the path I had resolved not to travel. Perhaps, I really had grown stronger from this. My conviction definitely had. For all of Brock's attempts to get me motivated for battle, the events at Aprico had been much more of an eye-opener. Because they were real. Really real. Not the faked real danger, regardless of how much convincing Brock had used to motivate me.

I had no choice but to look at him again when he lifted my face back up and was left momentarily speechless by the powerful emotion I could see directed at me. The earnest, steadfast love. He had made me feel special almost from the beginning. Brock radiated security and shelter, he was someone that could always be relied on. Not an outgoing, overly energetic character, but more quiet and always with a good grasp on the situation.

I felt safe with him, knowing that he would always know the best way to even deal with a difficult and stressful situation. I think I was truly blessed to have met such a reliable man.

Right now there was something different though. He didn't seem quite as sure of himself as usual. "I really loved the old Ako. But I think I love this one even more." Well, he still was a good sweet talker at least. That's something he always could do and where other women might be put off, I liked these kind of comments. Growing up in a poor village and even after that with little contact outside the academy, I wasn't exactly used to being flirted with. Besides, I knew he was honest with every word, regardless how cheesy and overblown they might be.

"I..."

My attempt to return the affectionate word was stopped by a finger on my lips and then I could see determination settling into his whole body language. Before I could even begin to fathom the cause, he suddenly bent down on one knee and held out something to me. It was a small box, opened to reveal a very beautiful silver ring.

My heart skipped a beat... no probably a whole song. Was he...?

"Ako, would you marry me?"

**End Flashback**

It was the happiest day of my life and I hadn't really given a single thought to the forest fire and Altaria's death for the rest of our trip. Well, the night after the confession definitely had a rather mind-blowing effect! Oh god, did I really just think that?! Well better thinking than saying it out loud.

"Now that's a lovely expression."

I did blush again and swatted him on the arm. "Hush, you. For someone enjoying showing off his fiancée, you looked quite helpless when being questioned about it." The groan made me giggle. "I'm sure your friends can tell me a few embarrassing stories about your travels you have neglected to tell me as well."

Frantically, he waved his hands. "Alright, alright enough already. Remember what we are here for."

As if I could forget. The side trip might have served as a more serious distraction but we had been preparing for this so much, that being here also seemed routine procedure compared to Aprico Village. I'd like to think it would be far less hectic and nerve-wrecking, definitely far less dangerous. However, Brock seemed rather worried since our brief meeting with his friends... since seeing Mew.

We reached the infirmary wing of the Contest Hall in silence. Upon entering though we were immediately greeted by an unexpected face. "Ah, there you two are!" I looked up and immediately snapped to attention spotting none other than Cynthia walking towards us. I had only met her a few times in passing. Lance was chief responsible for Heal Bell normally. "I'm glad you made it after all."

In the corner of my eye I could see that Brock was far less surprised to see her here. "So are we. I suppose you aren't here for just a social call?" I gasped slightly at the rather direct question that some could consider just a little disrespectful of her station. This really was bothering him even more than I had suspected.

Cynthia just laughed though, not shocked at all, probably not even surprised by the question. "Believe it or not, I am. We've been promoting this event very strongly, so for this one I'll be part of the jury." Now that sounded a little bit too convenient, even for me. I would expect one of the Grand Masters of the League to have better things to do than spending several days grading performances in a Contest, regardless of how much they had hyped up the event in the beginning. Now, if this were the actual Harmony Cup and not just a qualification round I would understand but this...

"And I suppose it has nothing to do with recent events?" Brock seemed relentless to get his answers it seemed. If Cynthia was bothered by it, she wasn't showing it though.

"I see you met with your friends already. How much are you aware of?" The question was pointed and I was starting to feel more and more out of the loop. What exactly was going on here. This was about Team Rocket activities, right? I mean, I wasn't stupid. People talked, even in the academy. I also knew this was part of why Brock had insisted to raise up the level of my training. Somehow though I started to get the feeling there was a lot more going on here.

Was that why my fiancé had been so... spooked seeing Mew back there with his friends? There definitely was a story behind that one as well, one he hadn't told me about. What Mew had said still stuck in the back of my head. What had happened that could let Brock see it and no one else, or as the Legendary had put it: made it harder to hide from him?

"Far too little I am afraid. Were you aware they were travelling with... it?" The situation was getting more mysterious and ominous. No, perhaps this really wasn't going to be so ordinary and routine as I had initially believed. I hoped I was wrong but the sinking feeling in my gut told me otherwise.

Cynthia nodded solemnly. "Yes, for the last month in fact. If she doesn't want to tell you, I have no business to do so either." I reached out and placed a calming hand on Brock's shoulder. His scowl was rather obvious and it was disconcerting to see the usual calm and rational young man so riled up.

Cynthia obviously noticed that, too, and continued with a small sigh. "All I can tell you is that we are expecting a huge operation from Team Rocket, most likely somewhere in Kanto. The signs have been there for almost a year now and we've been preparing on our end as well. Since we haven't been able to figure out their target but expect them to try something drastic that will gain them a lot of attention, we had to cover a lot of key locations." And that was why she was here in the first place. At least that made sense. And the idea of what exactly Team Rocket could be trying that would need such a massive counter effort was mind-boggling and I really didn't want to think about it too much.

However, there was still more. She had pretty much confirmed that by denying the full scope. For me personally this was more than enough and I would prefer to stay oblivious. It bothered Brock though and as such it ultimately bothered me. We wouldn't get more right now though, even my fiancé knew that.

"Alright, I guess I'll accept that for now." The tension drained a little from him to my relief. "I'm just surprised then that you are here. I would have expected Leaf to be here." Who? Oh right, the girl that had fought his friend Ash in the final. She had been made an official Master after that, if I remembered correctly. Why would Brock expect her to be here? Maybe because of Ash. It hardly seemed enough of a valid reason to be that certain of her attendance though.

"She wanted to come. Unfortunately, something came up and she is tied up elsewhere." The blonde-haired woman smiled wryly. "And I did dabble a little in Contests when I was still travelling, so I at least know a little of what I'm doing while posing as a judge."

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**(Dawn)**

"I welcome all of you to this brand new event. Each and every one of you has already distinguished him- or herself in the Contest circuit and added their name to the list of those that are allowed to call themselves Top Coordinator. Now, without further delay, let me explain the rules of this qualification round."

"Finally," I muttered in swelling excitement. It was really interesting if you thought about it. How easy it was to forget all the troubles around you, the uncertain future, the concern about destiny and other such things. But it was there again. That feeling. Winning the Grand Festival had not diminished my excitement and passion for the stage in the slightest. As soon as I stood here with all the other competitors – the best of the best, just like me! – the motivation was there full force and recent events and their far-reaching consequences were little more than a background noise I could easily block out for the time being.

"Since the number of competitors is smaller than in ordinary Contests, things will be slightly different. We wish to provide you with a challenge quite unlike of what you are used to. All competitors will start out with two Appeal rounds and both scores combined will decide which sixteen will advance to the final rounds tomorrow and eventually the final the day afterwards. For both the Appeal and Battle rounds we will use two forms of stages, the one I am standing on is the normal one and the other is the field in the adjourning hall that I'm sure most of you have already seen."

Yes, I had. And it had puzzled me somewhat. The other one looked more like a specified arena in a Gym with differently modeled terrain. The participants had not been informed beforehand about the rules and proceedings of this Contest, obviously in order to keep us surprised. I could see that some looked a little worried about the prospect. Terrain added a whole new element to performance. A lot more could be done with it but you could also easily mess something up. However, I suspected the judges would expect us to make use of it.

"All of you are participating here to gain a place for the Harmony Cup, an event that will put Trainers and Coordinators together. You will need to show that you are able to adapt to new situations because mixed battles will most certainly be part of the event," Lillian continued and pretty much confirmed my theory about the idea behind these changes.

"Ah, so that's what they were up to," said Zoey and she looked as excited as I felt at the prospect. It had been a nice surprise. May and Brock weren't the only ones we had met again. I suppose I should have expected that none of them would have let a chance like this pass. Not only Zoey but also Nando who recently had made his title in Johto were participating.

"It sounds fun. I've been doing a lot of training like that, so it shouldn't be a problem to improvise." Of course, that's what it was all about. By keeping something like this a secret, they were forcing us to improvise our performance on the spot. Battles were one thing but Appeals might just turn out to be the crux. Everyone was so used to perform on a set, solid stage, you wouldn't even think of working the terrain into your plans for the performance.

"Heh, you are not the only one who got better. Just watch, I don't plan to fall behind." I grinned back, remembering our promise from after the Sinnoh League. Yes, I really wanted to fight Zoey again and settle the score between us. Nando had done well against Leaf and surely had only improved, so he would be a hard opponent as well. Of course, no one here was easy.

There was the boy that seemed to be May's rival as well. I think Ash had mentioned him a few times. He was not to be trifled with either. And then, of course there was May herself. I really got the feeling she would be the hardest to beat. On top of that her attitude was... strange. I couldn't put a finger on it but something rubbed me the wrong way. More than once I had caught her sneaking concealed glances at Ash – which already got me suspicious enough – but then threw me off by giving me the same weird looks I couldn't interpret. Something was up.

This was not the time though. I assumed I would learn whatever was up with her soon enough. Right now I had a Contest to concentrate on. The competition was high and one mistake, one lapse in concentration could lead to defeat. And that was the last thing I wanted. After all, if I won, it would enable Ash to pick the other partner and I rather hoped we could keep this choice instead of getting stuck with someone we didn't want or would have trouble working with.

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Starting right of the bat, huh? So much for a lack of pressure.

Luck hadn't been kind to me and I had to do the very first Appeal. The question whether to set the bar high or not was rather mood. The first Appeal would be on a normal stage and that was what we had practiced for. At this point, a flawless execution was the best we could do.

"Togekiss, spotlight!"

The Appeal we had planned wasn't going to be the most spectacular light show. Oh, it would be flashy but that wasn't the point. "Let's begin! Aura Sphere!" Togekiss formed the attack and as soon as I called for it, formed two more, the first two floating and hovering a little up to the left and right. Already this was showing a great control. Aura Sphere was something generated more from physical energy – or chi – it was hard to control and keep from dissipating once separated from the body. Of course, Togekiss despite not being a Psychic type had just as much of its abilities.

Now for the real show. I took out a set of five small discuses and threw them in the air in quick succession. I had just recently started to learn to do this properly. The training from Mew had been most helpful. Exerting my mind I began to control the flight of the discs. At the same time Togekiss fired off her three Aura Spheres and for several seconds it became a game of who could control their objects better.

Of course, I was hardly adequate at this, especially when it came to complex maneuvers while Togekiss magnificently demonstrated that she could easily not only maintain but control the Aura Spheres like homing rockets. It wasn't long until my discs had all been shot down.

"Great work, let's wrap it up." The three Aura Spheres suddenly arced upwards where they came together, for awhile not touching as they spun very closely around each other. In fact they were spinning closer and closer until to the casual observer they seemed to merge together. Only that there was nothing seemingly in there.

Now for the flashy part. "Use Fire Blast." That was a move we had worked on as of late to give Togekiss some more flexibility against other types. Now it served a spectacular finish as the blast that looked like a five-pointed star out of flames raced into the big Aura Sphere, making it – or so it seemed while in truth even that was part of Togekiss' control – explode in a mixture of blue energy and red fire, its particles raining down around Togekiss like a curtain of light.

END 02-07a, click next to continue...


	26. 0207b: Prelude to Finale!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 7

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Alpha

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**(Mew)**

With a happy smile I listened to the judges giving high praises to my charge's performance. It was in some way simple but also incredible difficult and they were experts enough to recognize that.

"To take an attack meant for one time use and control it to your will is an incredible feat. I can only imagine the kind of things a Pokémon could do with it in battle," Cynthia concluded and I smiled faintly, having been used as target practice more than once while Dawn was learning that trick. If I didn't have the experience of my long life, I would have been in serious trouble. What we had just seen was for show, real battle application could get a lot more intense. "You have shown us that Togekiss possesses a great potential at control and that one shouldn't underestimate its mental powers."

_Mmh, they definitely are impressed_, I nodded to myself. Dawn was off to a good start. That made it easier to relax and watch the rest of the performances. Pokémon Contests were an interesting thing. I kind of liked them personally because they added another form of activity for Pokémon that lay outside of battle. Of course that part wasn't to be neglected either and that was something I felt a lot of Coordinators didn't understand. I was aware how a greater majority, especially those never dabbling in serious battle competitions, were thinking about the role of a Trainer. And to see Contests as a more peaceful, less violent form of competition wasn't quite so easy either.

The battle instinct was a large part of our existence, a legacy from our time as simple animals only strengthened by that monumental mistake. Almost all of the first Pokémon had been unable to hold back the urges and even after sealing IT, the genetic aggression remained. For a long time, before the League was formed, there was a lot more fighting amongst our kind than now and only a part of that was for simple territory claims or hunting.

This instinct was not exclusive towards other Pokémon either. While by far not as radical as after the first transformation, aggression towards humans was a lot higher than in the days where most of our wild kind rather tried to avoid contact and only the most ferocious would actively threaten humans. The formation of the League was a consequence to bring our two races closer together. The system of capturing, training and battling under controlled circumstances was a good way to appeal to a Pokémon's basic instincts. As such Trainers held in fact a very important role and I had to admit the overall bond – of course, there were always sad exceptions – had gone a long way to bridge the gap between our races.

And the same went for Contests. A rather new way – especially in its widespread popularity – to bring humans and Pokémon together and made possible through a long time of intermingling. The Pokémon these days were generally more peaceful and there were a lot of species that had little to almost no aggression left to vent. For those performing on a stage, competing in this less direct way, was a perfect way to address the competitive instinct that was in all of us somewhere.

The Harmony Cup was an interesting idea to bring both aspects together. Part of me wished it had happened earlier. With times as they were, such an event could have strengthened the bonds between our races as well as the different groups within greatly. Now it would almost certainly be too late to make an impact on the near future.

Shaking off the thoughts, knowing there was nothing to be done about it, I settled for enjoying the spectacular shows. The first Appeal round as expected was a series of perfectly choreographed performances. All these Coordinators had earned their right to be here and there was pretty much nothing to put them apart by much. No, the true challenge would be the second Appeal.

There was, of course, an exception. Zoey, Drew and Nando were all solid and it showed in small things how hard they must have trained as well to keep up. The real challenge for Dawn would be May though. In more ways than one but I didn't want to think about that, in fact I was a little more reassured these days my charge might surprise us all in how she dealt with that development.

No, the other girl's skills were definitely a step apart from the rest and more on par with Dawn's own. Her show was definitely something else as well that took a lot of risk but was all the more outstanding for it. Basically what she did was sparring against her Blaziken. Full contact, human against Pokémon. Oh, I was sure Blaziken held back a little but it looked serious enough to have the entire audience in awe. I wasn't too shocked. Her powers seemed to have started to awaken as well, not surprising so close to the pivotal point of their destiny and picking up skills that focused on attack and physical combat was rather in tune with the nature of fire.

"This is going to be a very interesting event. They are all very closely matched," Cynthia commented. "It's just as well. This will give them something to enjoy, perhaps for the last time in a long while."

I smiled a little sadly. "We know though how this will end up, don't we? The others are good but those two will decide this amongst themselves." It was the break between rounds and Sinnoh's Grand Master was reviewing reports from the League's counter operation in the meantime.

Cynthia laughed. "Don't sell the rest too short. In a competition like this a lot of things can happen." Then her demeanor changed to a more serious one. "You haven't told the others yet." It wasn't a question either, so she probably spoke to them, probably Brock and his girlfriend. I didn't detect any misgivings and would have known better anyway. Cynthia trusted me to know the best way to approach the situation, I just hoped that trust wouldn't be misplaced.

"The Purple Moon is coming up. Even if told them before, it would make no difference." It was a special time. Once every five hundred years, marking the anniversary of our biggest mistake and the only time in which the seals could be harnessed to awaken the dormant powers of the Chosen. There was a reason after all why I hadn't just outright told everyone and prepared them before the conflict broke out. That would have been a lot more convenient. The other side knew that, too. The timing showed that.

They would have to weather the first storm first in order to prepare for the bigger one.

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**(Ash)**

As expected Dawn made a great impression even on the modified stage. Clearly her opening act had inspired the rest of the competition and from what I could tell – after several years actively watching Contests as well as travelling and training with May and Dawn I would think my opinion was well-founded in experience – all of them were about equal. Dawn and May might have been just a little above the rest, although that might be more wishful thinking and playing favorites.

The second round made clear though who was better prepared for change. I personally thought this was an excellent idea. Contests usually always were held in the same settings, the same kind of stage – merely differing in size and shape maybe and sometimes adding some water like during the Wallace Cup, but that was about it.

I admitted that Coordinators had to be much more flexible than your average Trainer to begin with. Combinations and presentation asked for a lot more than a normal, clear-cut battle strategy. As such the lack of innovation in stage design had always been a bit of a letdown. Well, obviously not anymore.

My girlfriend showed everyone that there was a difference between a Coordinator solely concentrating on their one occupation and someone that dabbled in regular battles quite often. The kind of spars we had daily were easily on par with League Tournament standards and I had no doubt at all that if she wanted to, Dawn would have no trouble earning badges and earning her place on top in that area as well.

Not to say that what she did today was extraordinary flashy. It seemed she was going for subtle this time, showing off her Pokémon's skill and control in a particular field. The big stage was composed of several small areas. Utilizing the part that had a rocky ground and was littered with small stone spires, Dawn had Lopunny show off her flexibility and balance by standing atop the small spires, barely enough to hold one foot and that was how Lopunny stood perfectly balanced. That alone would have hardly been enough. Balanced as she was, the Bunny Pokémon used Ice Beam to draw several complex shapes into the air above each spire, before jumping to the next and repeating the same thing. The ice drawings stayed in the air for awhile longer and eventual presented a colorful picture.

Both audience and judges quite liked the idea, I could tell. To be fair, this wasn't entirely unplanned. Dawn had been practicing something similar on the side. Such balancing was in fact a good way for training and could easily be performed outside in every kind of area that had a similar set up of small platforms.

May was going for radical approaches it seemed. Where her first Appeal had shown of power and skill in a rather unusual way for Contests, now she was going for effect. Using the entire area to her advantage, Beautifly performed a series of short but appropriate moves on each. Clever use of Psychic and various air manipulation moves made for several pretty effects. The clincher was obviously meant a bit as a challenge for Dawn. Finishing off at the same area where Dawn had performed, Beautifly used her own combination of Silver Wind and Psychic to make an even more complex drawing all around the rock spires.

She really had improved. However, that wasn't all I noticed about May. Her behavior this morning had been odd enough and it continued throughout the entire day. Something _felt_ off about her. I couldn't define it, not yet. I had been shocked at first when I noticed that I was far more susceptible to emotions now. Mew had explained that having an empathic skill didn't just mean empathy towards Pokémon exclusively, which honestly should have been obvious. Few people could use it to actually sense emotions though, instead it would rather manifest more on a subconscious level of awareness. Now that I had begun to actively use it for battle through use of NRE, it had started to manifest more strongly.

That being said, this skill was barely adequate to give me more than glimpses. As such what I got from May was a jumble of emotions I couldn't even start to hope to decipher. I definitely felt some nervousness or apprehension... no, perhaps anxiety when she was around us, mainly Dawn and I. Beyond that I couldn't say more other than that I believed something was up with her.

_Perhaps I am just seeing things though_, I mused. So much has happened lately, I tend to worry too much. Chuckling at the thought that sounded a bit Dawn-like in the early stages of our travels, I continued on my way to meet the girls now that the Appeals were finished. Results were as expected. Dawn and May made it out on top, putting them on different sides and guaranteeing that they wouldn't meet before the final if at all. Zoey, Nando and Drew had all qualified as well which potentially could make for a few interesting matchups. Christine had entered as well to my surprise – I had really thought that after the humiliation from Dawn she wouldn't dare – but it looked like she was out for revenge. Too bad that she would probably have to go through May in the quarter final if she even made it that far.

"You girls were great!" I exclaimed when I found Dawn and May backstage. It seemed they had just been about to start a conversation and the atmosphere felt rather... tense. For all I knew this was mostly due to competition and both of them wanting to win. Of course, I couldn't quite help think of my confusing observations regarding my old friend. She really was acting weird. Then again almost two years could change people – just look at Dawn and I.

"Thanks, but this was just the beginning." Dawn eyed May, definitely competitive but I could tell she was also a little confused at the brunette's attitude. While friendly and open on the outside, she was clearly shying away from more personal contact, keeping all conversations general or concerning business so far.

There was no need to ponder her behavior anymore though. "Well, I definitely don't plan on losing to you this time!" It seemed doing the Appeals had gotten May fired up and I had to smile at the mixture of excitement, seriousness and challenging attitude. However, that changed a moment later once more and it was somewhat disconcerting seeing her getting all nervous and... shy.

"What is it, May? I think we all noticed there is something on your mind." I blinked at Dawn's directness but couldn't deny that I was also quite curious.

May shuffled her feet nervously. "Um... not here, okay? Can we talk later? Meet me down in the lobby tonight at nine, alright?" Well, that was mysterious. What was so important that she couldn't just tell us right here? May had never been someone to beat around the bush, so to say. There was something seriously troubling her and it had something to do with us.

I hoped there was something I could do to help. I felt somewhat terrible already for having missed her own Grand Festival win – never mind that it ran almost parallel to Dawn's. I still did care a lot about her and at one point had even thought there could have been more. This possibility was of course long closed now. I had Dawn and after all we were through, I couldn't even imagine being with someone else.

Then again... May had definitely grown into a beautiful girl. I suppose, IF I was still unattached, I might have tried my luck. As much as I wanted to chasten myself for the thought, feeling like I was betraying Dawn, May wasn't just any other random girl I had ever met after all. There were a lot of memories and adventures shared.

Well, regardless of all that, I could still help her out with whatever problem she had, that was for sure.

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

"Ecruteak, huh? That brings back memories." The last time we had been there things had really gotten out of hand, one of these extreme scenarios that occurred now and then if you happened to travel with Ash. The thought brought some fondness with it and I had to smile involuntarily.

Of course, seeing my girlfriend again, even if it was just over the phone and with a subpar picture provided by my Pokégear was uplifting and a good cure for my boredom. With League orders standing that for the next couple of days Gym Leaders had to remain on standby, ready to be called, there was nothing to do except some light training. After all I couldn't have my Pokémon tired out in case of a sudden emergency.

It was an entirely new experience for me. For the last years I had been so busy, having nothing to do outside of Gym duties and personal training had become a rare thing. Unfortunately this wasn't a vacation either, so I couldn't just go somewhere and enjoy myself.

"You look as bored as I feel." I chuckled at Leaf's blunt and observant comment. She had often complained how absolutely boring it was to sit in a helicopter for hours. Sure, for most people it was exciting since you didn't get to do it all the time. After the first couple of times that excitement was quickly lost, or so she claimed.

"There is nothing to do. Aisha went and got a couple of movies already. I really don't like sitting around and waiting for something to happen." If not for my new assistant's company I would probably go mad all by myself with nothing to do. Yes, I really, really wished Leaf was here. Now there was actual an opportunity for some private time but she was held up for the same reasons I was sitting here utterly bored out of my mind.

"The new girl is settling in well then, I take it?"

That brought a smile to my face and I spent the next several minutes vividly describing how much of a relief my assistant had been so far. Even after I told her a bit of a condensed version of what Leaf had shared with me, she had taken it in fairly calmly and didn't try to press for more. I still remembered how she had reassured me that she would make sure the Gym stayed in good condition if I had to be away for a longer period of time. Honestly, the girl was a blessing and it definitely helped that I had some like-minded company that I could actually talk to freely. There was no baggage or family routine between us like with my sisters, just two girls getting along well.

Speaking of my sisters. "By the way, my sisters called a few hours ago." Seeing Leaf's face darken with concern and some remnants of guilt, I quickly continued. "Hey, stop that. I told you none of this was your fault. Besides, I think we are starting to come to a bit of an understanding." Well, understanding might be going too far yet. My relationship with Leaf hadn't been touched directly and I hadn't pressed to bring it up.

"They admitted to having reacted 'a little too strong', I quote." I couldn't suppress rolling my eyes as I must surely have done during the conversation. Still, it sounded genuine at least and that was about as good and close to an apology as I would get from them. For now at least. I wasn't going to cave in easily after all, that would undermine the whole meaning of the argument. "We agreed that we all needed to cool our heads a little, so they are not coming back anytime soon."

And I actually agreed that was for the best. As hardened as the fronts had been initially, open exposure to the other would probably only make it worse instead of better. I was glad we were at least talking to each other again after the period of silence that followed the unplanned confrontation. It was a step in the right direction, the rest would come with time.

Leaf looked visibly more relieved as well upon hearing the news. I guess I couldn't completely convince her that she had no reason to feel guilty. I would have probably been the same in her position. "That's good to hear. And it's probably all for the better that they are out of town at the moment... I hope you told them to avoid the hotspots?"

I nodded and it really wasn't the problem at all. "They are touring Sinnoh actually. I think that was something they had wanted to do for quite awhile." Reminded once more of my situation, I couldn't help but be curious. "You really think it's going to be here in Kanto, huh?"

Leaf grinned but it was without real humor. "That's the general consensus. Personally I think Giovanni is just entirely unpredictable these days. But yes, if I had to place my bets I would put them somewhere in Kanto as well. This side trip smells of distraction but I guess someone has to do it." I could tell from her voice that it galled her that she couldn't be where the action was likely to be and part of me could sympathize. I would rather like to do something than watch others put themselves into danger as well.

There was a brief silence, then Leaf picked it up again, her tone serious. "Misty, be careful alright? I really can't say what exactly is going to happen except that something will. I know it's boring just sitting around but keep your guard up. As I said, this man is unpredictable, even more so recently than ever before."

The genuine concern made my heart flutter. With anyone else I would probably have answered something to the effect that I didn't need to be cuddled. Leaf was my girl though – wow, that sounded kind of cool – and she was entitled to worry about me as I was about her. "You be careful, too."

Leaf smiled thinly but it was happy nonetheless. "I will." A pause. "Looks like we'll be there soon, so I better cut this short. Love you."

"I love you, too."

I wondered if our relationship would be like that the majority of the time? Spent with phone calls, brief visits and lots of longing? I had known that of course when I accepted her feelings and actually forced the issue but it was undeniably... less satisfying.

No, thinking like that would only ensure a bad ending before it had really started. Right now I probably should take her words to heart. Maybe it was time to get a little bit more actively involved in the defense of MY city.

Resolve set, I scribbled down a short note for Aisha that I was going out to check with the local police and see how far the coordination was going on. Only for a little while but it would give me something to do and perhaps help to settle some of the restlessness and anxiety I was feeling.

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**Location Unknown (Giovanni)**

No one should ever say I was the type to rule from the shadows. Reading and hearing reports was one thing but it was always better to assess the state of your troops personally. Especially when it came to final inspections. And that's what they were and why I had no problem with showing my personal support. Troops. After this Team Rocket would no longer be a simple criminal organization.

It had taken a long time to achieve this. A painstaking process of changing the very face of the organization my mother had founded. Bit by bit I had sought those that could carry out my vision, those with ambition. Not the petty thieves most prominent in the old Team Rocket, not those that would shy away from greater tasks that went beyond the mere concept of making fast money. I needed those that wanted more out of life, those that wouldn't hesitate to do anything, no matter how ruthless or dangerous.

Now, finally this was what I had always sought. My personal... army ready for the first stage of a rebellion that would put the world order back in its proper place and reestablish dominion of mankind over all things. Harmony, pah. What a useless ideal. One only needed to look at the brilliance in modern technology to see that we had always been destined to be the supreme species. And yet, those fools from the League had been holding us back for ages.

No longer. I would see to it.

"I trust everyone and everything is ready to go, Agent?"

I knew, of course, but I wanted to see for myself. I needed to see the morale of my troops, needed to know if they were ready to deliver a crushing blow to the League. It would only be the first of many but the opening strike often determined the course of a battle. It had to be as clear, decisive and as crippling as somehow possible.

"Sir, Teams Alpha to Epsilon are all ready to go. The production of Rage Pokémon was high enough to exceed our optimum by a bit more than a dozen, so the diversion teams will also be far more ready to achieve their goals with minimum losses," Domino reported. Yes, that was very good. Our firepower was better than I could have hoped for. I doubted our enemies would expect this kind of force. All those months of preparation and laying low would pay off now. All they had was their best guesses and I was fairly certain reality would far exceed those.

"Very good. There are no changes to the timetable. The main operation will begin just as planned, diversion teams are to set out to be in strike distance an hour earlier." The strategy was perfect, there was no way they could prevent the primary blow from landing. I highly doubted the target would be on their priority list – I wouldn't expect it either in their situation. Of course, defense teams were already spread out over the region and could react and move in quickly. That was, of course, if they weren't occupied themselves.

I smiled darkly in satisfaction. Yes, everything was in place. It was time for the fireworks to start. "And the status of Special Teams Ypsilon and Omega?" After all, there was more to all this than just effect. The opportunity was too good to pass up. They would already be baffled by the strength of my troops, it was the perfect time to take care of some other important business for the long-term fruition of my goals.

"In place and waiting to execute their mission," was the crisp reply.

"Excellent." I turned to the gathered men and women lounging around in a state of anxious expectation. The air was filled with nervous energy. But not the kind of nervousness expected of people unsure of themselves. No, they all wanted for this to start. Good. "Attention!" I smiled as everyone immediately did so, jumping up quickly from where they were sitting or stiffening in an appropriate posture. "I expect great work out of you. All of you have been selected because of your skills and your dedication. When this is done, we will no longer be disrespected as petty criminals, we will be the ones remembered to have started a... revolution!"

My smile widened at the thunderous roar of approval that came in reply. Yes, personal motivation was best when the situation called for it.

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Brock)**

Business was relatively slow this far... Okay, that was an understatement. It was nonexistent. Routine checkups after the Appeals were over but that was it, nothing that one or two Nurse Joys couldn't have done. The participation wasn't as big as during a regular Contest after all and as such even the number of checkups was probably nothing more than on a slightly more busy day in a Pokémon Center.

Not that I had honestly expected otherwise. It was the first day. Appeals for the most part weren't meant to hurt or even damage a Pokémon, they were for presentation. Honestly, May's Blaziken had the most... markings, couldn't even really call it bruises. That Appeal had been something else alright and it had really floored me seeing my younger friend do such feats.

ALL of them REALLY had grown up. With Dawn I had been present for that first change though the calm way she carried herself after the year apart was also somewhat disconcerting. May, however, I hadn't seen since Ash's run on the Kanto Battle Frontier except for the brief meeting at the Wallace Cup. They had all grown up into respectable people, perhaps not chronologically in the case of Dawn and May but to some degrees probably with more maturity born out of experience than others several years their age.

It made me think about home for a moment. I had spent so much time travelling, it already amazed me how much my siblings had grown up every time I came home. The next time they'd probably all been up and around, pursuing their own paths in life. That was, of course, if the future permitted it.

I sighed at the intrusive thought. That was the problem just sitting around by myself doing nothing. I was on emergency shift while everyone else was grabbing something to eat, even Ako. I had to push her actually. She had been working hard, even if it was just checkups. Part of me was worried that after the events at Aprico Village she was developing a bit too much of a focus, pushing herself too hard. I would have to watch out that she didn't overdo things.

Before I could put much further thought to the surprising and ominous meeting this morning and all the possibilities it could hold, I was thankfully saved by the arrival of the girl that had just been on my mind. May stood a little uncertainly in the doorway, as if she wasn't sure whether or not she should be here but then obviously made up her mind and entered. Footsteps were light, almost nonexistent. No wonder I hadn't even heard her approach! Was all this a result of her training as well? There were so many strange things happening and I hated not getting a proper answer.

Focusing on my old friend, I waved her in. "What can I do for you, May?"

The brunette shuffled nervously. This was different from her normal self that was for sure but she had been acting strange this morning as well. The few times we had been able to leave, I had also caught her interacting with Ash and Dawn. I thought I had a pretty good idea why she was so awkward around them but hoped I was wrong. Because if I was right, it would only end up in heartbreak.

However, I doubted she was here for that. This was a different kind of nervousness. "I was wondering if you could do a checkup on the last Pokémon I am going to use tomorrow," she said eventually, holding up a Pokéball. Contest rules for this event stated that the competitors could freely exchange between three pre-selected Pokémon, whether it was for single or double battles. I just wondered why she hadn't brought this one in with the others. "Naru's a bit of a special case and I don't want too many people to know about her."

The Pokéball sprang open and an Eevee emerged from it. Not your regular Eevee mind you. It was bigger, with a darker kind of fur than usual. The Breeder in me took in all these details and a lot more almost instantly. This Pokémon seemed to have a high level of intelligence as well, considering how she was watching me carefully and guarded.

"Well, I can see she's not your regular Eevee. But I doubt you mean just her appearance." There were so-called Shiny Pokémon after all, so it stood to reason that there were enough other derivations from the norm. No, there had to be something more about this one for May to be so secretive.

Pokémon and Trainer exchanged a look and eventually the small Eevee nodded slowly. "Please keep this to yourself for now. Naru here had been subject to experiments by Team Rocket." My eyes narrowed. Them again. Everything these days surrounded the criminal organization. They were at the core of all the events and mysteries of these last months. I withheld my opinion for now, more interested in the tale. May was clearly reluctant to talk about it. "Her genetic structure has been messed with and well... why don't you show him?"

Naru grunted, a rather human-like sound, but that was topped several times moments later. "Fine, but only because you said we could trust him." The fact that the Eevee just spoke was completely forgotten and further overlooked when she began to glow briefly and her form began to shift much like during evolution. And that's what was happening because a moment later – much faster than the usual process – a Vaporeon sat on the ground. Then, again before I could even marvel at the fact that no evolution stone was involved, the same thing happened again, this time ending in a full-fledged Espeon before finally shifting back again to her initial Eevee form.

I was speechless. In all my years learning to become a Breeder, all the experiences I had made, this was right up there with the strangest ones, perhaps even the strangest. Part of me marveled at such a scientific breakthrough but I immediately chastened myself for the thought. It had been unwilling experimentation. If Team Rocket had been involved, there was no doubt this Eevee's life had been hell before meeting May. I could definitely understand the level of distrust and bitterness I could see in her eyes.

"Naru is the oldest out of a greater family. When I found her, she had only just barely escaped. It was slow-going at first but in the end she stayed with me because it turned out I had acquired one of her sisters. Remember the egg from the ranch the one that hatched into an Eevee?" I nodded, even as she released her Glaceon. "She wasn't born yet when they were captured by Team Rocket, that's probably how it ended up at the ranch somehow. We've been looking for clues as to what happened to the rest of her sisters. When they managed to escape, they ended up separated." May finished her explanation. "I'm sure you understand that I had to be careful not to let her be seen too much, especially her abilities. Team Rocket probably wants her back badly."

I nodded dumbly, slowly starting to get out of my stupor. As fascinating as this was, the tragic story behind the tale had quickly doused any excitement over an Eevee that could shift evolution forms freely. Mostly, not entirely.

Then a random thought snuck up on me and for a moment I wanted to put it down as wishful thinking. It would be too much of a coincidence. Then again, there were a lot of things lately that were too much of a coincidence. I was starting to believe all this was part of a greater design.

"Well, I'm sure I can look her over for you, but more importantly..." I reached for two Pokéballs, one containing Leafeon and the other Genki whom Ako had left here. Really, this couldn't just be random chance, right?

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (May)**

Staying in high-class hotels had become a bit of a habit upon late, I mused. With the League making a lot of effort to promote Contests more, the standard also rose. I'm sure the purpose of the pretty though rather extravagant fountain was to induce a sense of calm and tranquility upon the guests in this hotel, Twinheart Island was after all quite a tourist attraction normally.

The calming effect was lost on me though. My heart was pounding loud enough in anticipation alone to almost drown out the constant sound of the water. Regardless of what it would be, I doubted anything could calm me now. This was it after all. The moment I had been hoping, dreading and awaiting with an almost fatalistic drive for so long. I held no illusions of success and Brock's warning – he had always been the perceptive one although I doubted he suspected more than the one side of my feelings – that I would cause heartbreak was still floating around my mind. It didn't touch me though or made me waver. It might be doomed from the start but I needed to do this, for the peace of my own heart at least.

Thinking about Brock gave me at least a moment of genuine distraction while I waited for Ash and Dawn who should be here any moment now. Yes, it had been a surprise to find two of Naru's sisters like this. She had been very delighted and I was very happy for her. It was good to see her lose some of that gloom that seemed to always surround the young Eevee – because regardless how she acted, Naru wasn't that much older than Glaceon – while she got reacquainted with her sisters.

Was it a coincidence though that Brock and Ako both had collected one of them? Perhaps Ash and Dawn had one, too... I would have to ask, later. If they were still talking to me after tonight that is.

My musings about Naru's family were cut short when I saw Ash and Dawn emerge from the elevator. The hotel was quiet at this time already. Most of it was rented out to the Coordinators and visiting Trainers. It wasn't the normal bustle of activity to be expected of a tourist center and so it was easy to spot them. That the area was pretty much devoid of any other people was also a big benefit right now. This way there would be no interruption or someone to see the coming drama.

_Alright, enough of this. You made up your mind to do it, so do it and don't go in already thinking that you lost._ I took a deep breath, then two more, thinking back over what I wanted to say and found it slipping away quicker than I could hold onto it. _All the same, I guess. This is something you can't and shouldn't rehearse._ Ash and Dawn had reached my position and greeted me while I did the same.

While I had them sit down on one of the benches facing the fountain, I was pacing a little myself, taking the time to study their faces. Both of them looked concerned, curious and a bit confused. No surprise there. While I hadn't exactly broadcasted my intention, my avoidance of getting too personal with them until now must have caused a good bit of all those feelings.

Dawn looked... expectant. I wasn't entirely too surprised there either. No doubt she had to deal with rabid fangirls and thus feelings of jealousy all the time. She probably suspected something, but much like Brock it would be only half of the truth. Aside from that her expression was fairly neutral and unreadable. She didn't look like someone ready to rip your head off if her suspicions were confirmed. I wasn't sure how to take that. Ash was merely genuinely concerned in contrast. Knowing him, I suspected that he thought I had some sort of personal problem and was determined to help his old friend out. The irony in the fact that I would actually hope for that wasn't lost on me.

No more time to think, the longer I waited the harder it would get. It was just like Maylene had said about me and my fighting style. Direct and to the point, charge ahead and don't worry about the in-between. "I think it all started a little while after I came to Johto," I began without any further ado. "Travelling alone was... hard. I thought at first it was all it was but the more and more time went by, the more I realized my heart was longing for only one person. And that was you, Ash." It was a hard realization then, a bitter one. I spent days chastening myself for not getting it earlier. I would have never left otherwise. Going to Sinnoh would have been fine as well after all. But it was too late to change plans in the middle of my Contest run.

I glanced at Dawn but she was still not showing any visible reaction and her stoic patience was unnerving me. I would have expected her to explode at this point, at least showing that she didn't like where this was going. In contrast Ash was actually more direct about this. "May, that's..." He glanced at Dawn, then back at me, expression pained but resolute. I smiled sadly, seeing the resolve there. They really were close and I expected nothing less from him... In fact I probably would have been disappointed if he wasn't ready to defend his feelings for Dawn right away.

I held up a hand to cut him off, adding a pleading look that made him swallow his words. "Please, let me finish." I needed to. I needed to get this off my chest and I needed them to understand before making a decision. "The Wallace Cup was a bit of a blessing. I had it all planned out then. But... it wasn't to be. It would have been so easy," I chuckled humorlessly and to my irritation realized that there were some tears in my eyes as I remembered that day I first met them at Lake Valor. Angrily I swiped them away. "But..." I choked a little. Damn it, this wasn't how it was supposed to go. "You were there." I looked at Dawn, unsure of how much of my true feelings were visible as I was right now. "You made it so much worse." I expected a puzzled expression from Dawn in reply but she was looking at me surprisingly... understanding? That threw me off for a bit.

Ash was more as expected again. "But we weren't..." he begun and I cut him off heatedly, not caring anymore that I was losing my cool. Could anyone blame me? I had tried to approach this calmly but it had torn me apart for months... over a year even. Rationalizing and focusing on a confrontation could only suppress these feelings after all.

"That's just it. I wanted to tell you then. I wanted to tell you how much I loved you. But, Dawn... she... I only realized much later what it was exactly but it only made things worse. At first I just thought I was fascinated, attracted to her style and way of performing. That wasn't it though, it was much worse. I had fallen in love... again." I stared quietly at them for a moment and it became apparent that it wasn't quite clear to them who exactly I was confessing to right now. "Both of you... I love you both."

It felt... surprisingly good to have it off my chest. These words. I had wanted to say them, to both of them, for so long. I blinked away another tear, however, I was feeling much... more relieved now. Regardless of what came next, whether it was the expected rejection or, by some miracle, acceptance, I felt that I could deal with it eventually.

With a lighter heart but still anxiously waiting for a reaction, I looked at them expectantly while the two people that had dominated my thoughts as of late were trying to take in what I had told them. All I could do now was... hope.

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**(Dawn)**

I quite honestly wasn't sure just what to expect when we came down to meet May. Ash was convinced that the girl had some sort of serious, delicate problem she needed help with, yet I couldn't be so sure. He was so sweet like that and had apparently completely missed the undercurrent I was at least strongly suspecting. Unfortunately the inconsistencies remained and I hadn't come any closer to figure them out. In fact I hadn't even found much time to think about it.

While I felt pleased to have come out of the Appeals on top, I was reasonable enough to understand how very close the gap was compared to regular Contests. Not all of them had close to my level of combat training but all of them were professionals, victors, experienced competitors. None of the final matches would be easy, most of them would probably be on par with my battle with Nord... and I had a feeling that if it came down to May and I it would be a rather equal match.

Thusly, I could only push my thoughts away from battle strategies as we got to the elevator and when we reached May in the lobby with the beautiful fountain as a background setting, I tried to gauge her reaction. It was hard to tell and I had amassed quite a bit of experience by now. Reading people's emotions wasn't as easy as some probably thought it would be for the mentally gifted. Oh, it was easy with Ash because he and I shared a deep bond of love and trust, we were already attuned to one another long before I fully began to realize and train these abilities.

Reading May was made much harder by the complexity of emotions I could sense, tangled and mingled and all these things that made it hard to determine individual ones. And to be fair, I was hesitant to pry deeper. The more you knew the other person, the more It became a moral issue of invading privacy.

Thus I tried to keep my cool and an open mind. Part of me was surprised just how calm I could be. Even if my suspicions were proven, this wasn't like with Christine. I had learned from that, right? Yes, I had and I had also remembered Mew's words and puzzled over their deeper meaning at length. Greetings were exchanged, the atmosphere was tense. May was clearly nervous and it seemed to rise exponentially the closer it came to whatever revelations she was going to make for us. But then her focus shifted and there was a burning resolve, almost bordering on fatalistic. Considering what came next, fatalistic was actually not so far off.

"I think it all started a little while after I came to Johto. Travelling alone was... hard. I thought at first it was all it was but the more and more time went by, the more I realized my heart was longing for only one person. And that was you, Ash." So I had been right, I thought, not terribly surprised about that bit. The emotions from May were much clearer right now, agitated and... conflicted. Yes, she was probably immersed in her own memories as well. But why conflicted? Because of us? Because we were together? It was the simple, logical answer. There was more though. There had to be.

And I was proven right as she continued and the tale shifted to the Wallace Cup. That's when it became so much more complicated and I started to realize just why this was apparently tearing the other girl up inside. "You made it so much worse." That would have stung if I wasn't already starting to comprehend just where May was going with that.

I think I had to thank Leaf's initial flirting a year ago to make me realize the existing possibility or I wouldn't have understood until it had been spelled out for me. Even afterwards I might not have. As it was I needed the confirmation and didn't have to wait long for it. "I had fallen in love... again." It was one thing to be playfully flirted with by a girl you knew wasn't serious. It was another to hear a straight-out confession.

What was I feeling? Honestly I didn't know. Figuring it out before the actual confession wasn't helping much because it was still a lot to swallow. The most immediate issue, however, was still left open to confirmation. I needed to hear it, I needed to know if I understood correctly what exactly she was saying because right now the only thing clear was that May had fallen in love with both us at individual points. But did the latter override the former or...

"Both of you... I love you both."

Ah. So I was right. Wonderful. _You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?_ I wondered and for a moment was seriously contemplating broadcasting it telepathically to Mew up in our room. And was that why I felt so strangely detached and calmed? Because this was somehow important on a grander scale? Because the Legendary wouldn't say such things without deeper meaning?

"May..." Ash began again, hesitating a moment at the clearly distraught girl but then I felt his resolve firming. "I don't know what you expect to hear now. You knew we are together, right? I can't and I won't hurt Dawn in any way regardless of how much..." He trailed off but I caught the end of it in his thoughts. Regardless of how much she meant to him. I wasn't angry. I knew there was some lingering affection. His words did make me feel special, yet I could also tell he wasn't fully comprehending, even with it being spelled out clearly, what exactly May was saying and consequently hoping for.

Not that I blamed him. I was still amazed by my own calmness, watching as May smiled at him a little sadly. "I do. Ash, it's not my intention to make either of you unhappy. I love you BOTH." It seemed to get a little more through to him this time but there was still doubt, confusion and a deep sense of protectiveness. Protectiveness towards me. I was moved but it didn't really help the matter. "I can't help what I am feeling. I wish it would be easier, too... so, please, all I am asking for is a chance. Think about it a little, just until the end of the Contest. Let me prove to you that I don't want to hurt either of you."

And she was honest. I could tell. As tangled as her emotions had been before, the floodgates had been opened, so to say, during the confession and I could read her emotions like an open book. Only that right now it made things worse by telling me all these things that would have been easier unknown or ignored. The honest emotion behind her words, the agony of being torn up over this for so long, the relief of finally admitting but also the anxiety at the reply. May was expecting to be rejected, I realized with a start. The thought caused a deep pang of sympathy in my heart.

What made this so different? I had to ask myself again. What made this different from Christine? Ultimately both were an attempt to disrupt the happiness I had with Ash. What May was saying and even more so what she was hoping had no future, right? Relationships didn't work like that. Was it just because this was someone I knew however briefly? That alone was part of the problem of knowing how to react since honestly it was too brief a meeting for a stronger attachment and I hadn't fallen in love at first sight either. Was it because it was someone important to Ash? Was it because of what Mew had said? Or was there something entirely else I understood subconsciously but couldn't really grasp?

It didn't matter. In the end it didn't matter. And yet, I probably was the one most surprised by my words, more than Ash who I cut off before he was going to reject the idea outright, more than May who seemed ready to accept defeat. "Alright." I met the incredulous stares evenly. "I think the most May deserves for having the courage to tell us her feelings, is that we'll give it at least a little more thought." Which mostly translated to: _We have to talk about this in private, Ash._

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**Ecruteak City, Johto (Leaf)**

"I still think this is a ruse," I voiced my opinion to my partners on this mission. It had taken us surprisingly little time to hear witness reports about an old fort that decades ago had served as a bandit stronghold showing signs of activity. That could be anything from a low-level gang to wild Pokémon making their nest there. I didn't like it.

"It's too obvious," Morty agreed. My thoughts exactly. The timing was too convenient. Giovanni had known we would come to check this out as soon as he heard his men were captured. It smelled more and more off a diversion tactic. Of course, leaving the matter unattended wouldn't do either. If there really was a small army hiding... No, that was ridiculous. If it was anything more than a small team designed to draw attention, they would have drawn much more attention already and Anabel was quite certain that she didn't feel a big concentration of people from the direction of the fort.

I groaned. "Mou, this is a waste of time after all. I'm missing all the good stuff." I had secretly really been looking forward to the Contest, curious just how much better Dawn had gotten and despite all the emotional conflict it would certainly bring, I had wanted to see Dawn and May fight it out. I had been able to check up on updates and wasn't surprised both came out of the Appeals in the first two spots. I'd still miss tomorrow mostly if we were going to raid the fort.

Angrily I left the room to get some fresh air. The frustration was rising and I tried my best not to let it get to me. Why exactly had I agreed to be the one to do this? I knew it wouldn't happen here. I had been almost hundred percent certain. And all three of us also knew that being stuck here meant that we'd never make it back before the real action started. This was supposed to be our fight, so I should be there.

"Worried about your girlfriend?" I jumped slightly, then glared at Anabel. She held out her hands in a placating gesture. "Hey, I was just thinking. You've been awfully distracted the entire day. And I think this isn't just about being away from Kanto at this time." I grimaced, I just couldn't hide anything from her. "Come on, Mel, what is it?"

Her nickname for me as well. She knew I didn't really like it although she was about the only one I had ever allowed to use it. No, Anabel wouldn't leave me alone until she got a satisfying answer. "It's probably nothing. I just had this feeling all day."

The other girl snorted. "Yeah right. Mel, for us having just a feeling is equivalent to a detective having a hunch based on information... at the very least. You might not be Psychic but you were granted strong powers, right? Now, just what exactly are you feeling?"

Faced with the raw logic of someone experienced enough in this sort of thing, I couldn't suppress it much longer. Having put it off as nothing but nerves and a reaction to what I already knew – after all something would happen soon, there was no surprise in that –, I had pushed it away and concentrated on the mission. No need to further let myself get frustrated at my confinement to this place while playing to Giovanni's tune.

It had only gotten worse. Now that I was no longer ignoring it, the feeling of terrible dread was imminent and... urgent. No, it wasn't something about the mission here. Something different, something that touched my heart and soul and made me tremble regardless of how much I tried not to.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I can't define it. It's more than just a strong sense of danger. Something really bad is going to happen, something I feel I will regret for the rest of my life if I can't prevent it. It..." I trailed off, grasping for words, for a meaning. I wasn't good at this. This was Anabel's forte and probably Dawn's as well. I was their complete opposite and I didn't think I ever had to deal with such heavy mental stuff...

But... was it really a mental thing? Or was it rather an emotional thing? Anabel might have only been half-serious with her comment, however, what if...? I closed my eyes, trying to feel deeper inside me, reaching for the core of my feelings for a certain redhead, the love that had built there so recently and yet so strongly. The reaction was so strong, I gasped soundlessly, hunching over as my body began to seize up, then shiver. It was just a brief flash, not even barely enough to get a detailed picture. But what I had seen was more than enough.

"Misty..." I choked out, shaking off Anabel's concerned hand as agitation and an all-consuming trepidation gripped my heart. She had been right. Anabel had been right. This didn't have anything to do with the overall situation... Well, it might but only in consequence. I knew now, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Misty was... or more likely would be in terrible danger, danger she wouldn't survive if I wasn't there.

For a moment duty and love warred inside me and even before I came to the inevitable conclusion, realizing with some irony that this was exactly what I had tried to escape by denying myself a relationship at this point, Anabel took the decision out of my hands thankfully. "Go," was all she simply said and I didn't question it. Psychics could be quite scary with the way they understood things without a word... Logically I already knew, of course, that she and Morty could handle this even without me. I still felt guilty, just a little, but not enough to impede my decision.

Switching out one of my Pokémon quickly, I called out my personal Pidgeot, a shiny one in a deep red instead of the dark brown and a silver sheen for the rest of the body and his crown. "You up for a long trip, my friend? We need to make a lot of ground fast." This was one Pokémon that I was fairly proud of. I dared say it was the fastest Pidgeot I had ever seen so far and as such just the right thing.

Swinging myself on Emperor's back, I turned back towards Anabel. "If you get into trouble, please call for backup." Though I doubted it. After all Anabel was quite strong herself and if we were correct, then a small team would be no problem for her.

Without a further thought I gripped tightly at my Pokémon's back and Emperor shot up from the ground without a further word, knowing without even a word where I wanted to go. Yes, this was exactly what I had wanted to avoid. But then again... if I hadn't allowed myself to form a bond like that with Misty, would I have had this... warning – yes, definitely a warning – as well? I doubted it. The feeling of anxiety, this premonition of sorts was born from what tied Misty and I together already, regardless of how fresh and underdeveloped. That it was still so strong, over this distance... I didn't want to think about it.

What could it mean? Cerulean wasn't a hotspot. What would Team Rocket gain from it other than the fear factor. Or was that all Giovanni was after? What if it was just Misty? I wouldn't put it beyond the man to use the actual operation to hide attempts to take us all out. The more I thought about it, the more likely the possibility appeared.

"Be safe, Misty," I murmured, my heart aching in worry.

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**(Narrator)**

"The first day of the Contest comes to a shocking conclusion for Ash and Dawn after May confesses her feelings. How will this affect the rest of Dawn's performance and what will their final answer be? Meanwhile Team Rocket amasses its forces and the eventual confrontation draws ever nearer. Do not miss the next explosive episode!"

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**Maia's Prophecy**

**MysticMew: Well, I think I got a good one. We won't have any problems with this narrator... *looks suspiciously at Maia* Riiiight?**

**Maia: ...**

**MysticMew: Uh... What's with you? *cautiously pokes her with a long stick* Are you dead?**

**Maia: ...**

**MysticMew: Hey, come on! It's your section!**

**Maia: I... seeeeeeee...**

**MysticMew: I think she is broken... *pokes her some more***

**Maia: *suddenly grasp the stick and it bursts into flames* I SEE! *MysticMew jumps 20 feet away in fright* I see death! I see everyone's death! A horrible death!**

**MysticMew: ?**

**Maia: I SHALL MAKE IT HAPPEN... unless you... FEED ME!**

**MysticMew: *trembles and looks at YOU* Please?**

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**Author's Notes**

Yes, honestly a bit more feedback would be appreciated. For the last couple of episodes it was about one review for each. That's a little... discouraging. We might lose interest. Seriously. Yes, I said I don't write for the reviews that's true. But a lot of the motivation for this story is carried by you readers. I've got several other ideas I'd like to try but haven't really touched because reactions for this one were so good and I got more motivated to give you more. I will finish Arc 2 anyway but how long the gap for Arc 3 will be, might depend on your feedback for the last episodes. So... don't just click the boxes but type a few words, be it only a "I like it", I take that every time over mere favorite alerts without even a small word of approval. I can only know what you liked or disliked and try to improve my writing, if you tell me about it.

Story. Actually there isn't that much to say. I realize this chapter was still comparably slow. Yet it was a necessary buildup for the final. The next two episodes will be explosive. I guarantee that. So, anyone who has been demanding some action, you shall be provided. The stage is set now. Everyone is where they are supposed to be, May has confessed, the Battle round is coming and Team Rocket is ready to make its move.

Okay, I said Jessie, James and Meowth would be in here. And they were. Frankly I wanted to do more but there wasn't too much more room. I might do another, real scene (from their perspective) next chapter. But they'll show up again before the end of the arc, I can promise you that.

I always thought Contest environment was too ordinary, too plain. Considering the main theme behind the profession is to present your Pokémon, wouldn't factoring in things like different terrains and areas (and I'm not meaning just some kind of water) serve for more variety? Trainers have to compete with that all the time in Gym battles and elsewhere.

Anabel was a spur of the moment inspiration. I needed someone to go with Leaf and the rest kind of worked out from there. Quite well actually, she fit the need perfectly. Yes, we'll probably see more of her. Not permanent, probably not even semi-permanent, but there'll be enough to do in the future that she'll get some action. ^_^ And no, there will be no further complication to Ash's love life. As explained, it's a crush and she knows better than to try and interject herself where she has no chance. She's not going to be heartbroken about it either...

Hope you enjoyed, please let us know.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias aka MysticMew


	27. 0208a: Between Battle and Love!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 8

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Beta

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

First of all... Thank you for the wonderful response to the last episode. I think that was one of the highest if not the highest number of reviews I received after a posting (not necessary all for the same episode).

Second. Yes, TFSTTM Reloaded has reached over 100 reviews!

Third. A greeting to all new readers that have just recently begun reading as has become obvious by some of the multiple reviews for different and earlier episodes. I hope you continue to enjoy this story and feel like dropping me a comment every now and then again.

Fourth... Addressing PokeLover: It's probably wasted since I am quite sure you might not be reading it any more or regardless of what I'm saying, it won't change your mind. Don't take this the wrong way but I am saddened to hear that you might be abandoning the story just because you can't agree with a possible pairing choice. As such this episode will probably not really convince you to stay. It's your right, I suppose, and I would feel hypocritical telling you that it is stupid to stop reading a story you actually like a lot just because you can't stomach a possible pairing. I am quite guilty of doing so myself here and there. Of course, when I get deep enough into a story and am fully mesmerized, I usually do keep reading even if a pairing develops that I might not like.

Well, that being said, I can't stop you or make the call for you. I would like to point out one fact though. Three people don't exactly make a harem. That's a threeway, threesome or whatever you want to call it. At the least it should be four and then it had to be focused on one person attracting many others and I hoped I made it clear enough that isn't what May is aiming for. I can't really say more at this point since technically this episode doesn't fully resolve the issue, even if afterwards most should be able to grasp where I want to go with this.

Lastly, a big welcome and thank you to xryuran who offered to be my beta and did a splendid job in actually getting this episode done on time, even if it was just intended as a trial run. So, for the foreseeable future I can proudly announce that this story – and hopefully any other future ones as well – will have a capable beta.

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**(Narrator)**

"The long awaited first qualification round for the Harmony Cup is here. And yet while many strong Top Coordinators gather to determine the best among them, many events overshadow the Contest, both personal and far-reaching. May has confessed her feelings to Ash and Dawn and the question remains of how they will react and how much it will hamper Dawn's performance. At the same time the seemingly unavoidable conflict draws near as Team Rocket finishes their preparations. When and where will they strike and will the League be ready? Overcome by an ominous premonition, Leaf rushes back to Kanto, concern for Misty most dominant in her heart."

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**Sky over Johto (Leaf)**

We had been making a good headway since leaving Ecruteak. The wind was definitely in our favor and Emperor was as fast as ever. Dawn had already broken and we were already over halfway to the border. With some luck we should make it all the way to Cerulean by nightfall or a little bit later. And even if it meant pushing my Pokémon, I knew it was necessary.

The feeling of urgency was only growing stronger as time passed by. Emperor seemed to pick up on it, too, or at least on my own restlessness and continued onwards without complaining, perhaps forcing out that extra bit more speed. Concern for my girlfriend was dominating my thoughts. I knew beyond doubt that something was going to happen to Misty and that I needed to be there in order to prevent it.

Nervously I fumbled around with my Pokégear for what was perhaps the twentieth time in the last five minutes, unsure of whether or not I should call ahead. How would she react? Misty was a bit prideful with a quick temper and if I wasn't careful, it might sound like I couldn't trust her to take care of herself... But could I really square it with my consciousness not having given her a warning? No. I'd rather have her mad with me than dead.

Making up my mind, I established the connection and waited. It was still early morning. I almost expected her not to be up yet, standby orders or not. Despite that I waited impatiently and anxious, chastening myself for my reaction but unable to completely stop them. The feeling was so strong now, I had trouble making a straight thought that didn't directly involve seeing to Misty's safety as soon as possible.

The reply came faster than I expected and I would have almost jumped a little – and that wasn't a good idea on the back of a flying Pokémon after all – at her cheerful greeting. "Good morning! Miss me already?"

I blinked, then couldn't help but grin a little at her infectious smile. Somehow I didn't think it had anything to do with her situation. It was the same for me after all. I couldn't help but feel my gloomy mood lift a little at seeing her. When all this was over, I really, really had to make some more time for her. It was a sad state for a relationship when the partners were happy already to see one another over the phone.

"I see you are in a good mood this morning," I quipped, knowing the real reason already, but not ready to give up on my image. Speaking with Misty just wouldn't do without a little teasing at least.

Misty grumbled. "You wish. It's sooo boring. I am used to more activity and was already awake far too early because of that, only to realize I still don't have much to do." I smiled lightly at her complaining. As much as it wasn't a state I wished to be permanent, seeing her face, seeing her alive and well did a lot to placate my fears a little. "I just wish Team Rocket would hurry up and get this over with."

I know she was partly sarcastic but the comment caused my smile to strain and falter a little, the brief moment of simple joy broken. It was probably as best an opening as I could get without making it sound entirely too overprotective. "Misty, about that..." She seemed to pick up on the mood shift or at least the change in expression and looked at me curious and expectant. "I know it's going to sound weird but I had... I have this persistent feeling that YOU are going to be in great danger. That's why I..." I faltered for a moment, wondering again how best to word it.

"It's not weird," Misty replied seriously before I could continue. "With everything you told me about, it would be stupid to put something like this off as weird. What exactly are you worried about though? Do you think Cerulean could be a target after all or..."

I shook my head. "No, Mist, it's just you. I don't know or can tell anything about the general situation. I know though, and there is no mistaking this, that I can't shake off that feeling that you are going to be in terrible danger. That's why I..." I paused for a moment, then plunged ahead anyways, knowing I would rather take a reprimand than seeing the dread in my heart confirmed. "That's why I want you to do something for me. Please, if you are called away to help out somewhere, stay..."

"Melanie..." I flinched, both at the tone and the use of my real and full first name. Not "Mel" like with Anabel. Misty had taken to calling me this that night after the fallout with her sisters and I didn't really have the heart to tell her not to. No one but my father called me that these days anymore. Yet, it sounded good coming from Misty, coming from someone I loved so much. And that was probably the real reason, I realized with a start. The last person other than my father to call me that on occasion had been Rebecca. That was why part of me resented it when someone called me by my first name.

The realization was quickly forgotten though at Misty's frosty glare and tone – even more frightening than an explosion of temper, I had to admit. "I love you, but I really hope you are not trying to coddle me. I cannot just sit at home and have others do the fighting. I am a Gym Leader, too, and this isn't the first time either that I've been in a dangerous situation. I understand your concern but I am afraid I can't just do what you want me to."

It was just as expected after all. Honestly, I hadn't believed she would take it any better than this. However, after agonizing over the matter at length, I was fairly convinced that Misty being called away and then getting in trouble wherever it was Team Rocket planned to strike was the most likely way to justify my feelings of danger. I couldn't even fault her for the reaction, quite sure I would be the same in her position. And still the urgency only grew. I knew I had to convince her somehow.

"Mist..." At this point her image suddenly disappeared and the connection was cut off. For a terrible, long moment I thought Misty was so angry with me that she had ended the call deliberately. But then I realized I never got a signal for the transmission to have ended. There was only... static.

Jamming!

My danger sense – honed by years of travelling and all the recent work for the League – flared and I urged Emperor to the side on instinct. Unfortunately it was too late and something struck my Pokémon on the right wing, sending us into an uncontrolled tumble and collision course for the ground...

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Episode 08: Between Battle and Love! The Stony Road Ahead!

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Brock)**

The atmosphere in the mess hall of the hotel, rented out pretty much exclusively for the Coordinators and watching – as well as potentially scouting – Trainers, was brimming with barely contained excitement. The first day had already set the standard high and as such expectations were strong. The new stage design was a challenge for everyone but no one seemed to complain. They wouldn't have come so far if the prospect of a new challenge would scare them off. No, there was more anticipation among them than everything else.

At least as far I could grasp from the low talking all around us at the various tables. Even with the challenger field reduced to the best sixteen already, very few had left, eager to see how it all turned out and perhaps looking for pointers and inspirations for the next round. Yes, everyone was very excited...

Which made the contrast displayed on our table even starker.

It was an oasis of barely contained gloom. Or at the very least approaching that point very quickly. I had been looking forward to talking a bit more with my friends after not having seen them for over a year but conversation was slow going... More like almost nonexistent. The heavy atmosphere was palpable and I really had to wonder what exactly had happened.

Did they have a fight? No, I didn't think that likely. There was a certain... awkwardness, yes, but nothing that hinted that there had been a disagreement of sorts. Most peculiar was the different ways in how they behaved. Ash seemed totally distracted and when asked a question would often need to have it repeated at least once before replying. It was quite confusing to see him like this after the recent change towards a more serious and calm individual. Something definitely had rattled him, very much so. I mean, he was actually just picking at his food and had hardly eaten half of what was the usual standard for him. That above else was the most worrying. Ash not eating properly had something apocalyptic...

Every so often he would look at Dawn contemplatively, then, as if immediately chastening himself for an inappropriate thought, looked away again. Dawn in contrast seemed fairly calm. She too, was apparently in deep thought and whatever had Ash in this state was clearly affecting her as well. Yet, her expression more closely resembled that of someone trying to figure out some intriguing mystery. That further discredited the possibility of a fight between my two friends. There'd be a lot more tension. Dawn would be angrier, definitely more emotional.

I was getting unnerved by the thick silence, conversation reduced to a minimum. Even Pikachu and Prinplup seemed subdued and I hadn't seen Mew floating around either. I probably shouldn't pry but was prepared to take the plunge anyway, just to get the mood lightened. They were my friends and as such I hoped that I could at least help them a little if they allowed me to.

However, before I could address them, the cause for the subdued mood of my friends made its presence known at that very moment, spotted by Ako who waved over at someone behind me. "May, over here!" I turned and spotted the younger brunette with a plate of her own, walking past our table. Expecting her to stop and turn, I was surprised at first that she just continued and didn't seem to have heard my fiancée. I did catch her pause for a step though and her eyes just briefly flickering over to our table. Just for that moment I saw a hint of wistfulness and longing before she moved on.

"What's wrong? Didn't she hear me?" Ako frowned, disappointed. I knew she had a honest desire to get to know my friends better which I could completely understand. As isolated as she had lived for most of her life, making new friends was surely high on her priority list. She made to stand up but I quickly reached for her hand and held tight, starting to understand just what was going on.

Yes, I remembered the brief talk we had yesterday evening and my troubling suspicion that May's awkwardness around my other friends came from her own strong feelings for Ash. This hadn't been entirely new for me. Something had been there when we were travelling but it had never seemed to be strong enough to become something more, something either or both would realize on a more conscious level.

Apparently I had been further off with that estimation than I had thought. May definitely was harboring strong feelings and if my guess wasn't completely off, seeing Ash and Dawn together was tearing her apart inside. May and Dawn seemed to have hit it off immediately during the Wallace Cup and thus, longing after her friend's boyfriend surely made it only harder.

Apparently she hadn't been able to hold it in any longer and, disregarding my warning from yesterday, had confronted them about it. That was the only, logical explanation for the sudden mood shift.

"I think May rather wants to be by herself. We are going to be rivals here, after all and I'm sure she wants to go over her battle strategies by herself," Dawn said before I could come up with some way to explain it to Ako without breaching the subject. Suddenly I wasn't quite so eager to address the certainly uncomfortable topic.

That was the other thing, though. By the reactions from all three of them now, I was pretty much totally certain of the cause. Yet, my initial evaluations of their mood didn't exactly add up. I could understand the confusion and I could definitely understand Ash's distraction. May was someone he at the very least considered a very good friend. If there was or had ever been more, I couldn't say. I never quite bought that he was entirely oblivious and naïve to the concept of girls and love. Had there been stronger feelings at some point and did that make things even harder now?

The more confounding thing was Dawn's reaction though. Regardless of how much May and her had gotten along initially, I just couldn't imagine her being so calm and contemplative in the face of what she should rightfully see as a threat or at least challenge to her status as Ash's girlfriend. So what had really happened that had the younger girl so... yes, almost accepting I would say if the thought wasn't so ridiculous.

"That's too bad," Ako mumbled, seemingly oblivious to what was going on. She had grown a lot, forced as it had been, over the last weeks, but there still was a core of innocence when it came to many worldly matters. I didn't really blame her. If I hadn't been so close to the three of them, I might have not caught all of this as well.

"Let her be. It's better that she's not he... that Dawn and her are not distracting each other." I caught the slip from Ash and I also caught the pained, almost disapproving look from Dawn and the quickly averted gaze from Ash. I blinked, only more confused than before now. Shouldn't that exchange have gone the other way round? Shouldn't Dawn have said that and Ash perhaps reacted this way?

The mystery was only growing and it didn't seem like it would be resolved so easily or anytime soon. Whatever the mystery actually was.

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

I think I would have preferred boredom.

Before this morning I had been merely irritated at all the waiting around with no serious chance to vent some of that stored up energy. I was an active person, always had been. The phrase "tomboy" had never really bothered me too much since to me it was more a confirmation about my outlook on life. I just couldn't sit still or do nothing all the time. Activity was a key part of my lifestyle. Be it biking – before Pikachu broke the first one at least –, Pokémon battles or even something that others would not exactly consider a physical activity like fishing – I would strongly disagree on that point.

As such being confined here with no challengers, no serious workouts or other such things allowed, it had been like my own personal nightmare. Now, I'd rather have it back. Leaf's call had added several other aspects to this already unpleasant situation. And this wasn't even so much about her overprotectiveness. If it were just that, even that state of mind would have been preferable right now.

The call's sudden termination left a hollow feeling of dread in my heart, one that was slowly starting to grow into full-blown anxiety. Not because of what she said and that she might be right about it but rather about Leaf herself. This wasn't some transmission problem and I hadn't been able to reestablish the connection within several tries. And it wasn't just Leaf, a large part of the network seemed to be down or at least interfered with.

I really hoped my girlfriend would be alright. Actually the fact that it wasn't just Leaf I couldn't reach was almost reassuring if not for the really bad timing. Something more had happened on her end and I couldn't do anything about it. _No, don't think like that_, I berated myself almost immediately and let out a sigh. Leaf was a Master, she was an excellent Trainer with battle skills far above the norm. There wasn't much that could really cause her trouble.

_Not much, but this isn't a normal situation either._ I shook my head and pushed the thought away again. I had to trust her ability to get out of whatever trouble she might be in. There wasn't anything I could do from here, so I should rather focus on what it was that I actually could accomplish.

Entering the main community area of the Gym, I was immediately greeted by an agitated Aisha. "Boss, something is wrong with the network. A lot of communication lines are..."

"I know," I interrupted. "I was just having a call myself." There was no need to say who it was from, otherwise she'd probably figure out the real reason behind what I planned to ask of my new assistant. For a moment I wondered again if my decision was right but Leaf's call and its sudden termination had rattled me more than I wanted to admit. I might not like to be coddled but it wasn't like I couldn't understand Leaf's feelings. How ironic that I was going to do the same thing.

"There is something I need you to do for me." The younger girl was immediately attentive. I really liked that professional attitude, especially now that she had opened up a little more to me outside of Gym business. Even more did I dislike what I would do next. "I have just been speaking with a potential business partner who wanted to supply us with a special new soap at reduced prices. Now that communications are out, I would like you to go check it out."

"But, what about...?"

"It's unlikely anything will happen here but I can't leave. It's a rather time-sensitive deal you see and with communications down, I would just hate to lose the opportunity." It was a lie, of course, albeit only a partial one. I had indeed received a business proposal and meant to go inspect the goods as soon as I would find the time. The deal was pretty much sealed though, just waiting on a final inspection that wasn't quite as dire as I made it out to be.

Aisha wouldn't realize that until she got there though and by then the worst should hopefully be over. It was a little underhanded, I knew, but I'd rather have her somewhere safe. The next town could hardly become a target after all. Cerulean shouldn't be either, I wasn't expecting that either. But if even the slightest chance existed that someone would come after me, I would rather have Aisha as far away from me as possible.

Just too bad that the dark-skinned girl was entirely too clever.

"Boss... Misty, I appreciate your concern, but I'm staying." I opened my mouth, surprised, then closed it again with a snap. Had I really been that obvious? "I am your assistant and I am not running away from potential danger."

For a long moment I just stared at her and then sighed. How could I expect to have her agree when I had just argued with Leaf over the same thing? However, Aisha still had a lot to learn. She didn't know what a really dangerous situation could demand from you and so I had to try at least one more time. "Aisha, please. I would really feel better knowing that you aren't here. If something really happens, it's not just going to be done with a simple Pokémon battle. This shouldn't be your fight..."

"But it is now. I signed up as your assistant, all responsibilities and duties included. I did read the contract in detail, you know." I winced, recalling that she actually did, several times over. "This is my job now but it is also something I really enjoy doing. Cerulean is my home now and this Gym is also becoming a very special place, so don't ask me to abandon what I have just begun to hold dear. I promise not to get in the way but at least let me stay and help."

I could hear the honesty in her words and had to admit I was moved by her passionate speech. She really had become attached to this place. And thus there was nothing I could say that would change her mind.

"Alright. Then let's go and see what's up with the communication network." Deep inside I hoped Leaf's "premonition" was wrong, hoped that I was wrong about my own feelings of unease. Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to shake it off as the day progressed.

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Pikachu)**

It was a mystery, alright.

_How can she be so cool about this?_ There was not an ounce of distraction. I could understand battle focus, when everything else gets blocked out and you immerse yourself totally into the fight. Ash was a master in that area but even he would get distracted once in awhile by serious stuff as the recent moral crisis summoned by the destruction of the warped Rhyperior had shown.

By all means, Dawn should be affected, at least a little bit. Yet, the more I saw, the less I was worried that this revelation came too sudden and at the most inappropriate time. Really, she was dominating her opponent. There wasn't a flaw anywhere in her coordination with Prinplup and Lopunny. Certainly, both were as harmonized as somehow possible. This was the Elite level of Contests though, no opponent here could be trifled with, regardless how much one had trained.

_It's like it doesn't even bother her._ I'd be steaming mad and I knew Ash was taking it far less well, without really knowing what or whom to be upset with. He cared a lot about May that was for sure. That it was her involved didn't make the situation quite as simple, regardless how loyal he was to Dawn.

And just what was it exactly that May wanted it anyway? Love them both? How did that work? I didn't think this was something Pokémon were supposed to understand. When we mated, we mated for life. There were packs, of course, and some more... inclined species probably shared among each other but I couldn't see how a three-way relationship could even work. Humans had such funny ideas sometimes...

Still, Dawn's behavior was curious. So much unlike what happened when that other Coordinator made her advances on Ash. She had been steaming mad then, rightfully so, but now... Not that I wanted to see her fight it out with May. I liked May, a lot. But this situation was pretty much destined to make everyone miserable. So why was Dawn able to just shrug it off and concentrate on her match like this? Especially after that talk and the aftermath last night.

Oh there had been an argument alright. Not quite what one would expect though. Ash had questioned Dawn about why she had agreed with May's request. It baffled me and I couldn't make heads or tail off it. Why had Dawn actually defended May's wish for them to wait with a reply? Ash was just as confused and eventually gave up on it, obviously not too keen on further aggravating the already tense situation.

The signal for the end of round jerked me out of my thoughts. The match was already over it seemed. There had been no knockout but Dawn's focus really had been perfect. Prinplup and Lopunny had stayed one step ahead of their opponents from the very beginning and clearly had the advantage of being more used to terrain fights. The real challenge would only begin now though. If things went the right way, she had to go through both Nando and Zoey until she got to the final. I was really curious how long she could keep her focus.

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**(Naru)**

That girl was good. I didn't have any experience with Contests or any other form of these competitions humans had thought up for us. Even so, I could tell how focused she was and that despite what May's confession must have done to her. How could she be so calm and concentrated the morning after? What an amazing willpower. No wonder May had been attracted instantly.

I wish I could say the same about my current... Trainer – might as well admit to it, since I could have done a lot worse after my escape. While she admitted to being relieved after confessing her feelings and that now she could concentrate on proving herself with a relieved heart, to me May seemed more... resigned.

It irked me the wrong way. As if she wasn't even expecting to have a chance, as if merely telling them what she felt was enough for her to find closure. However, it wasn't so easy, right? May could try and convince herself but just quietly accepting things wouldn't be enough. If I had learned one thing in the short time we were together, then that May was a fighter. She wouldn't and shouldn't give up halfway through before seeing a battle to its conclusion.

That was what was happening though. Compared to the Grand Festival Blaziken and Beautifly weren't performing quite as well. It was small and anyone who hadn't seen the performance then would have not noticed a problem. But May was not fully in it. She was slipping back into her old habit of getting distracted, getting lost in thought during a match again. Confronting her feelings and their recipients had given her a strong focus lately, but now that focus was at least weakened. Not even enough to put her into serious trouble yet but the match was much closer than it should have been.

_How very ironic. It should be the other way around._ Dawn should have been the one distracted by last night and May should have been confident and focused. _Damn it, how does she intend to convince them if she loses her confidence and determination that easily?_

Something had to happen. All this would have been for nothing otherwise. And I wouldn't have agreed to participate here if I had known she would lose her nerve now. Getting into the limelight wasn't exactly something I was particularly anticipating. These bastards that had ruined our life before it had even started certainly wouldn't leave me alone this easily and there was no way I would achieve something here without showing off my abilities.

Well, at least I wasn't alone anymore. Finding Glaceon had been nice and my initial reason for staying with May. She had been the only one of us that hadn't hatched yet by the time we were first captured, so I felt even more protective of her as the oldest sibling. Finding two more of my sisters with the Breeder and his girlfriend had been a pleasant surprise.

Still, right now I was more worried for my partner. I owed her that much for saving me and showing me hope. If that meant exposing myself in public, then so be it. But May had better be ready to give it her all as well.

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**(May)**

Relief sometimes was a short-lived thing. There had been relief, enormous relief after telling Ash and Dawn about my feelings. For about two years it had been eating at me from the inside and finally getting those emotions out and to their proper recipients was liberating in some way.

Once that initial relief had passed, however, all the other small things that had hidden behind the overwhelming pressure of my unvoiced feelings were now demanding to be heard. And the initial reaction I had received only served to fuel them.

In many ways a quick and adamant refusal would have been better. I had been prepared for that. Not that I was saying it would have been easy. Easier to deal with perhaps, not easier to experience. Rejection was what I honestly had expected. Yes, I wanted to fight for my chance, that is why I had asked for it, but deep down I knew that as close as those two were, I would ultimately be nothing more than an intrusion.

And while Ash seemed to be ready to confirm just that, the surprise had come from Dawn. It wasn't quite acceptance either. Yet, I had not expected her to be the one to argue for my sake and at least give me this chance. From what I could perceive of her reactions she also seemed far less surprised than she should have been and her first match this morning didn't give the impression that she was dealing with great inner turmoil.

Could it be that she had feelings...? Nah, that would be too good to be true. And if that were I hardly believed her reaction would be so calm and neutral. Ash in contrast clearly seemed more distracted and I swore I could see a hint of disapproval and anger every time we actually looked at each other. It made me feel terrible inside. The last thing I wanted was to cause them unneeded distress.

_Maybe it would have been better not to have said anything, after all. I'm just going to make things more miserable for all of us_, I thought, before refocusing on my next opponent and promptly blinked at seeing the blonde young woman glare at me. I had seen her a few times hovering around in a rather angry mood, most of the time throwing dark looks in Dawn's direction. Did they know each other and something happened between them?

"You, you are another one of these cheaters. I heard you've been travelling with MY Ash as well. So you exploited his kindness to get yourself to the top as well," the woman, Christine I think her name was, declared. I stared a little irritated at those words and wanted to reply something but she was already rattling on, obviously more caught up with her own anger than even acknowledging me. "No, don't deny it. You are all the same. You just waltz in here and steal the glory that I have worked so hard for all these years. You ordinary people don't deserve someone as great as my Ash."

I really was getting annoyed. There was no need to tell me what exactly happened. I could already glimpse the gist of it. And as much as I had just been wondering about whether or not I was doing the two people I loved a terrible disservice, I would not stand here and listen to some stuck-up, self-centered bitch assault them and my integrity as a Coordinator.

"Listen, lady. I don't know what your problem is exactly and I frankly don't care. But I know I worked hard for being here, too. And I won't stand for you insulting my friends. It's show time, Naru!"

Now, I expected a lot of initial reactions. Using Pokémon usually considered unsuited for serious battle was a lot less of a novelty in Contests where presentation was the real deciding factor. As such using an Eevee alone was not ground for wonder or belittlement. Doing so on such a grand stage, among other Top Coordinators, it might be a little more unusual. Yet Christine's reaction was totally unexpected.

The blonde stared at Naru for several moments and her expression was like someone who had seen a ghost. Then suddenly it shifted to one of irritation and fury. "Again?! Do you cheaters all want to mock me?! You are just like that tramp after all, hogging my Ash's attention all too herself and then humiliating me with his Pokémon! I bet you are just lusting after him, too!"

Okay, this lady had serious jealousy problems. Honestly, compared to her I think my... No, I didn't even want to compare our situations. That was just disgusting. My feelings were real and I never wanted to cause them any harm. However, I couldn't have left the situation the way it was either. I had needed to be honest with them and myself or I would have gone crazy. I wasn't like this woman at all.

And was this really alright? To give up like that? Where was the point in bringing up the courage to tell them and then not see it through to the end? That would be shallow and would only prove that I really wasn't honest about my feelings, which was furthest from the truth. I did love them. If somehow possible, I wanted to be with them and thus I had to prove this somehow. This was the course of action I had decided on and I couldn't waver on it now. Dawn's reaction should give me hope rather than confusion.

"Miss, I think I should thank you for reminding me of something important." I smiled briefly, which momentarily managed to cut through Christine's anger and she gave me a confused look. But then my expression hardened and I allowed a brief flash of my righteous indignation to show. "However, I won't allow you to further disrespect me or Dawn. What we achieved, we achieved through much effort. Those two are very important to me and I would do everything to see them happy. If you insist on badmouthing them or their honest feelings for each other, then you'll get no quarter from me."

It seemed that statement was enough for the judges as well since the signal to start of the round was given just then. Harnessing my anger and recovered purpose, I focused on the battle and Christine's Meganium. She really would have been better off by not saying anything...

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**(Ako)**

So far this assignment really had been... Yes, if I were to compare it to the unplanned mission to my hometown, I could call it almost dull. No need for treatment had gone over the standard care. Nothing had come in that was more serious than exhaustion or superficial wounds from battle and those would heal in no time.

But that was what a lot of assignments like this were like. Long periods of time were spent without anything major happening. They warned us about this type of situation countless times in the academy. Major incidents that would require your full attention and skills could happen at any time and you needed to be ready for it. And considering the general unease of everyone, including Brock, about... well, whatever it was that was going on with Team Rocket, this major incident could happen sooner than I liked to think right now.

In the meantime I had enough time left to watch the show from backstage. They were nice enough to provide us with our own monitors and screens to watch the performance. Although... I suppose it was also practical. If you saw how a bigger injury occurred, you could be better prepared for it. These fights were a lot more physical, too. At least from what I expected and had seen from Contests so far. This lay in the mixed nature of the event and despite my usual misgivings I found myself quite fascinated by it all. Everyone was so fiercely competitive, it was hard to accuse them off senseless fighting.

Right now, it wasn't so much senseless fighting than an approaching slug fest anyway. I had absolutely no idea what had gotten May so riled up since the volume was usually set to mute in here and so all we had was the video. However, the fact that she was clearly upset with her opponent was obvious even to me.

"You think she's really going to use _that_?" I had learned about Naru and her sisters yesterday after coming back from my break early and was glad the young Eevee seemed to have accepted me reluctantly. I could only imagine how hard it was for her to trust people, humans especially, but just about everyone in general. My poor childhood and sheltered growing up at Heal Bell actually seemed a much better life than hers so far.

I was glad Genki and Leafeon had found their older sister through this as well, although I was also a little sad. They had been through so much in their young lives that they deserved to stay together from now and as such I felt it would be better for them to be with one Trainer. And I didn't think Naru quite trusted anyone as much as she apparently did trust May.

"Nah, I don't think so. Looks like she's got more skills than just the shifting ability," Brock answered, finishing up with his Pokémon and focusing on the match as well. I saw what he meant within the next moments. Frankly it was more like a slaughter. Naru was quick on her feet, combining that with a relentless offense by striking from various angles that her opponent just couldn't predict.

Meganium was powerful but its size was apparently working against it right now. Naru focused on striking at blind spots, like from right above and behind, hammering the poor Pokémon with moves like Quick Attack, Take Down or Bite, already several feet away by the time Meganium found some way to defend herself. A few moments later a new angle would be found and exploited.

"That's impressive. They've got the upper hand even without showing off that special ability. If May wins this and she uses her other Pokémon for the semi-final, then she might get away without showing her trump card until the end," Brock analyzed. I had to agree but was more worried about the apprehension when he mentioned that May might make it to the final.

I was clearly missing something here and I had no idea what. A large part of my consciousness was telling me to leave it alone. This was clearly some private business and I could hardly call myself acquainted enough with them that I had any right to involve myself in it. It mattered to Brock though and as such it mattered to me. I wished he would at least tell me what was going on. If my fiancé didn't know himself, he at least suspected something strongly.

I wouldn't press though. It really was none of my business. My attention was drawn back to the battle. May had obviously decided to have annoyed her opponent enough... not that she didn't appear to be slightly... unstable – and that was really the nicest term I could think up – to begin with. This Christine had clearly lost her cool already before the fight and now it was easy for May to exploit that. Certainly she had not expected the sudden shift to offense that in any other situation, with any other Pokémon, would have been daring.

But Naru wasn't normal. The checkup had clearly shown that the free shifting between her evolution forms was only one part of the genetic manipulation. She had far greater reflexes than the average Pokémon, was faster and stronger, and definitely far more durable. All of which were shown in her relentless charge, shrugging off a Vine Whip coming at her at full force as if it had been a love tap, then shooting a Mud Slap towards her opponent, hiding the Swift attack within. The stars burst from the sand and prevented defense or evasion as the sand stung Meganium in the eyes.

A desperate Bullet Seed was evaded by a blinding fast execution of Double Team only for all the copies to perform another Swift hammering into the poor Meganium. Then Naru came charging in again, bathed in white energy in what seemed to be another Take Down.

I blinked, were those the outline of flames I was seeing within the corona of energy? I couldn't quite tell and it happened too quickly before the unavoidable impact, causing a large explosion of energy and smoke enveloping the stage for several long seconds. Finally it cleared away and revealed a thoroughly defeated and yes, slightly burned Meganium.

I looked over at Brock and he nodded back, apparently having come to the same conclusion.

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**(Ash)**

What was I supposed to do?

I really wished I had Dawn's calm right now, even if that might just be the very thing that made the situation so aggravating. Had she just reacted as expected – jealous, angry or any other negative way – it would have been that much easier to clear all this up. By right she should have, by right she should have done any of these but not accepting that crazy request of May's.

I had been ready to swallow my own reluctance to crush the other girl's hopes and cut this off from the start. Because deep down I knew that a spark of the emotion my old travelling companion no doubt hoped for was still there, still very much alive. After experiencing love and a real relationship I could more objectively evaluate my feelings back then. Naïve and far too occupied with myself and Pokémon I hadn't realized what I felt for May then.

With more time to think now – another reason why I had wanted to end things before any hope could even be born – I started to feel sorry for May and perhaps just a little guilty about crushing her feelings. I wasn't blind. Her emotional declaration had been heartfelt and genuine. I did not want to hurt her. But I had to.

The bright flame that was my love for Dawn was much stronger and I had no intention of causing my girlfriend even the slightest distress. This powerful emotion had only grown stronger through the many trials of the last two years since meeting her. Many times she had kept me going when I felt ready to give up and I wouldn't jeopardize that love. Not for May and not for anyone.

However, Dawn hadn't made it that easy for me. She had been so understanding that it lacked any common sense. Did she see something I couldn't? Was she trying not to overreact like with Christine, regardless of how much I personally thought it had been justified? Sometimes I think she was taking things a little bit too serious lately. Dawn was just fourteen, it was alright to act out sometimes. This whole Chosen business was affecting us all in various ways and I had to wonder if perhaps we were forced to mature a little too fast.

Just this morning I had thought that this kind of complication was something we really didn't need right now and found myself immediately appalled at the calculating nature of the thought and the disrespect towards May's feelings. Would it have made any difference if she knew about all of what Mew had revealed to us already? Perhaps she wouldn't have said anything now but it would have eaten her up inside and I hated thinking even for a moment, that this might have been preferable.

I couldn't really make sense of May's confession either. What exactly did she mean by saying she loved us both? Certainly not the way it sounded. Perhaps it was more like she loved me in a romantic way and Dawn as a good friend or sister and thusly didn't want to hurt either of us. Then what though? It's not like I could take both as my girlfriend. This kind of thing didn't work outside of smutty romance novels and I had never read any, only hearing stuff from Brock. Was that what Dawn saw and was that why she was hesitating because she could feel the genuine desire from May to not break us up? I couldn't believe that. Dawn had to see that such a thing wouldn't work and that she was far too precious for me to gamble what we had for something so uncertain. It was entirely too selfless.

_What a mess._ Regardless how often I tossed it back and forth, I couldn't figure out either Dawn's reaction nor how to proceed from here. So for the time being I had given up on trying to figure out Dawn's reaction and behavior. This was still a Contest and it was important to her. In fact, it might have just gotten even more important. There was a rather big chance after all that those two might end up in the final and then... I couldn't, for the love of it, see how working with May under these circumstances would be a good idea.

Had you asked me before last night, I would have gladly accepted that possibility, probably asked her anyway regardless of the outcome. Now, now the chance of ending up in the same team took up a whole new dimension. Unfortunately I couldn't deny that May's fight with Christine and her passionate defense for us had only made it harder to do what eventually had to be done.

For now though, I focused back on Dawn's battle with Nando and that was intense enough that I really should employ my full attention to it. Clearly enough Dawn's old rivals – because from what I saw Zoey clearly counted among them as well, while May was more in a class closer to us – had honed their abilities. Some of the leaps in pure physical attributes hinted that they had to have at least a similar training regiment as us. Perhaps not to the same extreme dimensions but clearly with a lot of effort put into them.

Combined with Nando's battle experience – being the only one here that had actively participated in a real League Tournament – he kept Dawn busy for quite a bit. Using the high grass as an effective cover, Kricketune evaded Togekiss' early attempts to seize the advantage. This went on for awhile but eventually both combatants knew that they were still on a time limit and neither would get anywhere with waiting out the other.

Again Nando took the offense. After a couple of attempts to sing Togekiss to sleep were blocked by Safeguard, he switched tactics and started to repeatedly assault Togekiss with a combination of Silver Wind and Echoed Voice. At first it seemed like all it did was further occupy Togekiss without doing really much. However, the precision was astonishing in itself. Togekiss next to Lopunny was one of Dawn's greatest evade types and still Kricketune managed to connect several times.

Then both power and speed began to pick up and the hits were scoring more damage than expected. _It must have the Technician Ability and if I'm right Echoed Voice still gets affected by it even after raising the power_, I thought worriedly. Had I not seen Dawn's first match and her absolute focus, I would have been more than just a little concerned. If she had really allowed May's confession to get to her, this might be the point where a lapse of concentration could cost everything.

However, Dawn wasn't distracted. Not in the slightest. In fact I found my heart swelling with pride when her tactic became obvious after seemingly allowing the barrage to go on for a bit longer, apparently not having a counter... She did though. And Nando was clearly caught off guard by the use of Psych Up, copying the raise in parameters before healing most of the damage with Morning Sun.

Then she went on the offense. Togekiss had recently turned out to be a bit of a move wonder, much like Leaf's Tyranitar and Nando was unable to keep up with the series of surprises. The combination of Extremespeed and Sky Attack was bad enough, pretty much removing the charge up time and rushing at Kricketune so fast that even the agile Bug type could do little more than barely brace against it. Clearly Nando expected some kind of Flying or Psychic-type attack next, perhaps even an Aura Sphere. The rather wide-spread and extra-sparkling Ancientpower hurt a lot more.

Momentum had shifted drastically and suddenly it was Togekiss who had the upper hand, both in battle and the little stat up contest. Time was running low as well and the flurry of combinations had earned Dawn a sizable lead. Nando was getting desperate and that had to mean something with the guy who usually was the perfect picture of composure. Personally I thought that he might have been taken in a little too much by the battle setting and fought Dawn more like a Trainer would another.

The last desperate attempt of Kricketune to get Togekiss with Bug Bite only further underlined that observation. The two Pokémon were about even in speed but Togekiss' natural grace made it easy to let her opponent slip past at the last second, presenting a clear, undefended target for a point blank Air Slash, ending the match about half a minute before the time would have been up.

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**(Brock)**

What exactly am I expecting to do here anyway?

Slipping away when everyone was still working felt bad enough already but now that I was here and waiting, I started to wonder just what exactly I was hoping to accomplish. Regardless of what I said, it wouldn't really change anything. The situation had already been created.

Just what kind of situation I was unsure. I thought I did know but the mixed signals from my friends were still very much confusing. _And that's what really bothers you, isn't it? That's what you can't leave alone._ I wasn't a terribly curious guy, at least I liked to think myself levelheaded enough not to stick my nose into every situation, regardless of whether or not it was even remotely my business. That was more Ash's part. Perhaps some of him had rubbed off on me over the years.

Then again... No, I rather would say it was because it concerned me. It concerned me as their friend, as a sort of older brother to all of them regardless of how much they had grown up lately. They weren't little kids anymore and certainly didn't need any chaperoning. But... I still cared. I cared for their happiness.

Which was part of the problem because honestly I didn't know which side to even take. It might sound simple thinking that Ash and Dawn were in a happy relationship and I should try and make sure that May wasn't making them and herself miserable. That would also be unfair to May's feelings though. I didn't want to see either of them sad or suffer.

Which brought me back to my original dilemma. What was I even hoping to accomplish here?

Well, I should make up my mind soon. As part of the staff for this event, it was no trouble at all getting backstage. The quarter finals were over and there would be a break for rest, recreation and adjusting strategy before the two semi-final battles would be held later in the afternoon. Having selected the most likely place to intercept her, I spotted May quickly and she did the same, hesitating for a moment before squaring her shoulders and continuing her walk down the corridor.

There definitely was a change. Earlier in the day she looked as if she had almost regretted her actions or at least their timing. I couldn't really say she was brimming with confidence now but there seemed to be a steady resolve.

_No, I don't think there is really anything I can do to actively help them._ However, there was one thing I could do. One thing big brothers tended to best.

May stopped a few feet away from me, shuffling her feet, then finally meeting my gaze.

"Want to talk about it?" I could listen.

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Man, had I been off course with my prediction.

Despite the mixed signals I had still believed the core of this was that May had feelings for Ash and had thusly declared them last night. That much I had deciphered from our brief talk earlier last evening. And that was true. Yet, it was also only part of it.

How do you fall in love with two people? Seriously I mean. I could hardly count my Joy and Jenny addiction love. Getting together with Ako had shown me that and part of me had always known anyway. But May sounded so certain. She had been reluctant to talk at first, but then it had all just come pouring out and I couldn't help but feel a deep sympathy for her situation.

I doubt I could have held it in for so long. And being in the same place with those you love, yet unable to express it had to be hard enough. No, I couldn't really blame her anymore for needing to come clean and letting it out. And I still – even more so now than before – didn't have an answer to give when she had turned to me and asked, just a bit pleading. "What would you have done in my place, Brock?"

This was something the three of them had to resolve among themselves. I fully realized that now.

"I honestly can't say. Probably the same thing. That's not the kind of situation you can expect to get a lot of advice for." Relationships were already complicated enough most times. Something as seemingly natural as what Ash and Dawn had was rare, certainly not the norm. It would remain to be seen how they weathered this particular storm. As for May, her situation was even worse. Caught somewhere between utterly impossible and a sliver of hope. It was clear she was aware of the irony of her actions. Not wanting to cause them any trouble, yet by confessing, generating exactly that.

She had no choice though. Personally, I thought that May had done what was the best course of action. "I think... you have to follow your heart. Even if it means possibly hurting those you love along the way. There is no best way in this situation. Had you just kept it inside, eventually it would have needed to be released." And that could have ended up being worse. The more you let things like this eat you up from the inside, the more it affects you. "You've started it now and I believe you already realize that you have to see it through, don't you?"

May nodded quietly, turning away and gazing ahead but her thoughts seemed somewhere else.

I really wished I could do more for them. I had taken up this new occupation because I did not want to be the one ultimately left behind anymore. However, there were some things, even a qualified Field Medic couldn't heal. The only thing I could do was to be there, listen and support my friends with an open mind. Because, regardless how this mess turned out, they'd probably need someone to listen.

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**(Dawn)**

Even from here I could sense the whirlpool of emotion that was Ash. I was grateful that he hadn't pressed the issue during the day, yet that didn't mean I was unaware of how much he was confused and frustrated by the situation... and probably by my own reaction. I was amazed by my own reaction as well and until this morning had not known why I was so adamant in defending May.

There were no returned feelings on my part. Nothing of the sort that the other girl was proclaiming for us. Yes, I had immediately connected to her during the Wallace Cup but that never went beyond friendship on my part. I couldn't claim love on first sight as a motivation. And for anything beyond that, I barely knew the other girl as anything other than Ash's previous travelling companion and a splendid Coordinator.

That was probably why I hadn't been able to explain my own behavior properly when we had returned to our room, only ending up in more frustration and... no, you couldn't really call it a fight. Ash just couldn't understand and I hadn't yet been able to explain it to him.

Yes, yet. As so many things as of late, clarity came to me in my dreams. Although... dream, not even to speak of vision, was the incorrect term. It was more like a vivid visualization of my own emotions and going beyond that. I couldn't really put it into real words but I knew now why I couldn't refuse May's feelings outright. And I believed I understood what Mew was trying to hint at. Didn't mean I knew what to do now. That was something that I had to discuss with Ash and... yes, ultimately find the answer to when I was fighting May. It was the only way to be certain of the questions that came with the realization.

For that to happen though, I had to make it to the final first. And that meant one last formidable obstacle to overcome. This extra motivation had driven me all day and was now at its peak. Especially because this obstacle had been my strongest rival to this point and the girl I still had a score to settle with.

"I hope you are ready. I cannot afford to lose today. Too much hinges on it now." My focus snapped into place and everything faded away. It was a neat little skill I had to give big gratitude to Sabrina for showing me and Mew for helping me perfect it. Mentally blocking out everything other than the stage, my opponent and the coming battle.

"Don't think I will make it easy. Glameow, Mismagius! Curtain!"

"Prinplup, Lopunny! Spotlight!"

Not that I really needed a special technique to focus against Zoey. Up till today I had never gotten a clean victory over her. I knew I had trained so much that from raw battle skill alone, I should win this. Yet, it was Zoey, my first and so far strongest rival. Before I could move on to May, I had to overcome her. And that alone was enough to get me fully motivated, the rest was just to make sure absolutely nothing would disturb my concentration.

The signal tone rang and then nothing else mattered.

"Glameow, open up with Fake Out!" I had expected that, of course. It was a standard tactic but considering the nature of the move something you just had to try. Still, I wondered what Zoey was up to. She had to know I expected it. The connection with Prinplup and Lopunny was by now as strong as it had been during the final moments of my fight with Nord. If anything, it had only gotten stronger. Without a word, Lopunny moved in for a counter. The move's specialty was speed but that meant only so much if the opponent's Pokémon could easily match the inherent speed of the move on a regular basis. The timing was perfect. Glameow took Lopunny's bait and at the last moment Prinplup was there, ready for a Metal Claw counter...

"Now, Sucker Punch!" I winced and cursed mentally. The transition was flawless. There had been nothing betraying the feint and even though I knew what was coming, there was no time to react as Prinplup got blasted back several feet, barely catching himself in a flip. Zoey didn't give me breathing room though. "Mismagius, Shockwave!" The electricity shot outwards at speeds I was used to from my early battles with Ash while we were still in training, yet Glameow elegantly and deftly flipped over it and the wave continued on for my own Pokémon.

Yes, Zoey had definitely gotten a lot stronger as well.

Unfortunately for her, I was not done in so easily. "Nice try." Lopunny stepped forward on my urging and her body began to glow. Zoey gasped as the Shockwave was caught on the Mirror Coat and reflected back. And because it happened so fast, Glameow was caught right in mid fall while Mismagius was also hit. I really was glad we had been able to learn that move. After the battle with Nord I had realized that regardless how good my Pokémon were at evasion, some form of barrier was something they definitely needed.

I couldn't let up now though. During the Sinnoh Grand Festival I had been lagging behind for most of the match and while I had eventually caught up, the points I lost at first had made the difference in the end. During a Contest a strong initiative often made up half the match. I had to keep Zoey on her toes and not give her a chance to seize the advantage.

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**(Zoey)**

It was everything I expected and more. Honestly, I never believed that I had even remotely caught up with Dawn. Even after _that girl_ had given me a few pointers – to make it more entertaining, she had said –, Dawn was already months ahead by the time of the Sinnoh League and had a constant sparring partner close to her level. That kind of training had been hard, too, and I had found myself struggling all by myself. It wasn't even near perfect.

It was all I could do to keep up with her. The initial plan to seize the advantage had already failed and now Dawn was defending her advantage. The next two minutes might have looked like an equal exchange with neither side having the upper hand, yet all I and my Pokémon could do was react, counter her combos with our own and keep the score relatively equal. It was far more tiring for us than for her. Heck, it took all my concentration to stay in the match and Dawn didn't even look fazed.

The kind of absolute concentration she was radiating was somewhat scary.

It wouldn't daunt me. I could not allow it. Giving her anything less than my absolute best would be insulting. And it would betray all the hard work my Pokémon and I had gone through to this point. Going into a battle with the mindset that you couldn't win was out of the question, I was the same as Dawn in that regard, the same as any worthy competitor.

So far it had been a furious exchange of direct attack combinations. Time for a change in tactics. I waited for just the right moment, just when the tension was at its strongest, when everyone was pumped up the most to overpower the other side.

"Mismagius, Flash!" I knew I only had a split moment. Dawn's mental connection with her Pokémon wouldn't really allow a blinding move to hamper either of them. A moment was all I needed though. The routine was practiced and Mismagius immediately followed the move by using a modified Shadow Sneak, meant not to hurt but to immobilize Lopunny by connecting and ensnaring her own shadow as soon as the light died down and shadows returned to the field. "Now, Hypnosis, Glameow!" I smiled in satisfaction seeing the move connect. Lopunny struggled against the effect for a moment but eventually had to give in. Waiting to see if Prinplup was moving in for a defense move and seeing it seemingly still disorientated from the sudden light, I took my chances. "Follow it up with Wake-Up Slap!"

I held no delusion that status effects would affect Dawn's Pokémon for long, so I had to make the most of it. The powerful hit connected, adding type and special damage to the equation. Lopunny definitely had to feel that one. Yes, I might actually have a chance to turn this around now...

Dawn's smile startled me, but even more so was the sudden Drain Punch hitting Glameow square in the jaw. Lopunny had recovered from the hard hit almost instantly and given my own Pokémon no time to even clear away. Not only that but the Drain Punch pretty much served to reenergize her further, undoing the damage Glameow had just managed to inflict.

Was that why Prinplup hadn't tried to act? Speaking of which where was...?

The answer came a moment later from the water portion of the stage. Apparently Prinplup had used the situation to sneak into the water without my notice and was now spraying huge streams of water into the air, creating a miniature fountain, raining all over the stage.

I didn't have to wait long to understand what this was supposed to when Dawn grinned and Lopunny Bounced up into the air, beginning to spin and emitting an Ice Beam that started to freeze the water droplets into small but hazardous – especially in their number – ice needles. A deadly rain of ice...

"Crap!" I cursed my inattentiveness that had allowed Prinplup to set this up. Glameow yelped and frantically tried to avoid the deadly hail. I had to do something fast. It looked like both Lopunny and Prinplup could keep that going for quite awhile. "Mismagius, get in the water and use Shockwave to get Prinplup out!"

I wouldn't let Dawn win this easily. Or at least that's what I thought.

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**(Dawn)**

_Perfect, just where I wanted you._ To be fair, Zoey hardly had a choice in the matter. If she didn't stop our combination, it would be all over. At the very least her Pokémon would be so exhausted from dodging, I would have a number of openings ready to exploit. Attacking Prinplup in the water with an electric attack by a Ghost was technically clever. In fact, from what I could tell so far, I wasn't surprised at all when the electricity despite being conducted by the water completely failed to harm Mismagius as it spread through the water. No, it wasn't the same as Leaf's Lemuria's intangible state. I could see with my developed senses, the thin psychic barrier erected right after executing the attack. Very clever.

Prinplup wasn't so easily deterred either though. While I had spent time training Lopunny with Mirror Coat to further improve our defensive qualities, Prinplup had finally been able to tackle the special idea I had for him. Before the Grand Festival the smaller body of Piplup simply lacked the basic strength and durability but after the evolution, he was ready for it. And while Prinplup started to swim and spin at high speeds, enduring the high-level electricity, I gave a nod to Lopunny who aimed her Ice Beam down to the water and began to freeze it all over. Something I was sure seemed like a rather drastic move and more certain to take both Pokémon out of the equation.

However, even as the water rapidly froze over, going deeper still and threatening to do the same to the two Pokémon within, Prinplup continued to spin, absorbing the cold into the movement much like Floatzel would during Ice Aqua Jet. It was something Prinplup had for the longest time been envious of and frustrated at his inability to do the same. The trick wasn't just in the spin. Where Floatzel used the basic Aqua Jet as a medium, Prinplup created a similar effect now by use of Drill Peck combined with a high speed spin. The piercing power of that technique was even greater as Mismagius had to learn when the barrier crumbled upon impact and the move drove hard into her, continuing to push onward and catapult both Pokémon out of the ice-encased water.

I had to give it to Zoey that she was ready for a counter despite the shock this had to have caused. "Glameow, Thunderbolt on Prinplup!" And from the looks of it this one would be a powerful one. I could feel the power from here and after many battles with Ash's Pikachu I had become a good expert on judging Electric-type attacks.

Lopunny was there already. Appearing right in Prinplup's flight path, she caught the drilling ice missile that he had become with a powerful kick that actually caused him to change directions. Zoey gasped in surprise and astonishment at the feat. It had far less to do with power than with the momentum and timing. Glameow had no time to react, already in midair and charging, getting caught full force by Prinplup who was suddenly on a collision course with her.

It wasn't a perfect angle but Prinplup did strafe his opponent and that was more than enough in this situation to send Glameow tumbling after her partner.

The sudden sound of the timer interrupted my concentration and my head jerked to the board, so absorbed in the match, I had forgotten the time completely. I needn't have worried though and sighed in relief and elation. It was a small margin, though a good bit clearer than my loss during the Grand Festival. This time though, it was my win.

END 02-08a, click next to continue...


	28. 0208b: Between Battle and Love!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 8

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Beta

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**(May)**

"This is kind of nostalgic." It just had to be him. Not that I was terribly surprised. In fact I would have been disappointed had he gotten himself defeated before now. From all the Contests I had participated the greatest confrontations in my career had been with Drew, both in quantity and quality. I had only managed to beat him once during a Grand Festival, the loss during last year's final had really stung.

My comment wasn't aimed at that, although I could just as well have meant it. This was more aimed at the choice of Pokémon. Roserade and Flygon, practically the same setup he had used against me during my first Grand Festival. Of course, I wasn't the same anymore. Not by a long shot. Back then I had been naïve, a girl just starting to find her path in life.

"It won't be as easy this time, Drew. I cannot afford to lose here." Just one more. One more win. Then I could have that match with Dawn. That match that judging by Dawn's reactions she wanted as well. What exactly it would bring, I couldn't say. However, it was the only way now to settle this, the only way I had left to prove myself and receive an answer my heart could accept.

Drew chuckled. "Perhaps. Perhaps I will do you a service and free you from your hopeless pursuit." My eyes widened. What was he...? Did he know? How?! "Don't look so shocked. I always suspected you had feelings for the boy. But imagine the foolishness I overheard last night when I returned from my walk."

He heard. I wasn't sure whether to be angry or just irritated at his choice of words. "Don't," I whispered. "Don't make light of my feelings."

Drew's face grew grim and his eyes hardened. "Then show me your conviction." I blinked at the uncharacteristic hardness. Yes, even a hint of anger. What exactly did it matter to him that...? Oh no... It might be that my own complex situation gave me some unique insight but I cursed myself for never seeing it before. _He has feelings for me!_

Always aloof and sort-of arrogant, I had known for a long time that underneath the act was a caring young man. He was dedicated and extremely skilled and definitely someone who knew what he wanted. I think that was what had intimidated me the most for a long time.

Forcefully I shoved back the stirring sympathy. "Very well." There was nothing I could do about it. Nothing I could have given him that wasn't there. Just like with Ash and Dawn, I was following my heart and I had to see it through, Brock was right about that at least. "Blaziken, Beautifly! Burn Up!"

The signal sounded and I was ready to prove to him that I wouldn't let anything or anyone stop me here. However, Drew was even faster. The Sonicboom practically droned out the signal as it struck in the middle of my Pokémon. Almost immediately a Leaf Storm followed, given further power by the flapping of Flygon's wings.

Stunned at the ferocious opening, it took me a moment to catch myself. Thankfully I could count on my Pokémon to recover quickly. Already Blaziken had moved into a defense position to deal with the Leaf Storm, then caught the advancing Flygon by the tail. "Good work, now swing it!" All the training from Maylene had done me a whole lot of good but it had also helped me understand Blaziken as a Fighting type better, not to mention the training had really played to his strengths, too. In fact he probably had gotten more out of it than me.

"Roserade, separate them with Magical Leaf!"

"Beautifly, Psychic!" Roserade's sharp leaf was stopped halfway through and suddenly Roserade had to dodge her own attack. "Blaziken, pull him in, then Fire Punch." Performing one last round with his swings, Blaziken yanked his opponent forward and caught him with a shattering Fire Punch that sent Flygon tumbling. That certainly wouldn't be enough to end the fight, however, it had clearly stunned him. Drew looked a good bit more wary after having his opening salvo deflected.

"I told you. I cannot afford to lose here. Perhaps you are right, perhaps it is foolish. Yet, this is the path I have chosen. Even if the end result hurts, I need to prove myself in their eyes. This is the only way for me to move forward right now!" And neither Drew nor anyone else would stop me here. Not until I had my answer, regardless of what it might be. If I hesitated now, I felt deep inside that I the conflict in my heart resolved would never be resolved in a satisfying way.

Drew chuckled again, though it lacked any real humor. "Always so stubborn, insisting to travel and conquer the steep and dangerous path. But I suppose that's what I always liked about you. Very well... Show me that you can conquer it!"

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**(Drew)**

She had really grown. The first time I saw her she was but an innocent girl who had just decided that she wanted to do Contests. Not that I had anything against that, not everyone should know what they wanted at a young age. Sometimes it took time to find your calling. As time went by I quickly realized that there was more to her. A diamond in the rough so to say, unpolished but with the potential to become something great. I continued to observe and I continued to grow more and more fascinated.

At the time I never said anything and now I realized I should have. Perhaps had I ignored my pride and image, there could be more now and perhaps I could have spared her that foolish quest which was doomed no matter what. Yet, it was too late now. I had lost my chance and her will was strong. I knew even without her words that she would not falter once she had decided on her path. That left only one task for me in this match. To give my best. As a final service of my feelings to a strong girl I would have to test her limits to the best of my ability.

Not that I intended to lose. I still had my pride as a Coordinator and just as everyone else – especially the four of us that had made it to the semi-finals – had put too much effort into growing stronger to simply step aside. That being said, I realized from the first exchange onwards already that regardless how much I had trained, it wasn't the same anymore as it had been up till about two years ago. May was a good bit ahead, I had to grudgingly admit that to myself. This wouldn't be an easy battle.

Coming out of another exchange with neither having the upper hand, I decided it was time to enact my strategy. While Roserade was keeping Beautifly busy, I could focus on May's first Pokémon and the greatest threat in this battle. "Flygon, Sandstorm!" Unlike a regular large-scale Sandstorm though, this one was centered around Blaziken, trapping it in place, before May could react to this new development, I pushed the advantage. "Now, reinforce it with Twister." The whirlwind of sand became a small-scale tornado of mixed energy raging in place and battering the captured Pokémon within. I wasn't finished though, knowing that May's Pokémon were made out of sterner stuff to fall from something like this so easily. "Now... Fissure."

I smirked at May's brief look of shock. Fissure was not only a rather risky move but also something you would hardly see in Contests. It was a low-hit chance of taking out a Pokémon in one go. Much more suited for regular battles. That was what this was about though. This event was not a regular Contest and as much as I liked to cultivate the image of a pretty boy, I had no problem doing the hard and dirty work. I disliked Coordinators that were so obsessed with their craft that they ignored or looked down on the good that came out of a regular Pokémon battle.

At my command, Flygon slammed his tail into the ground, splitting open the earth underneath the grassy part of the field. This stage was actually perfect for a move like that. On a real stage, I would have been in danger of destroying the stage itself which would have been much more a problem for my side since Beautifly wouldn't have been affected, yet Roserade would. On this stage the more natural ground became hazardous for my opponent now. Blaziken couldn't move from the spot without getting sucked into the vortex of sand and dragon energy. Neither option was favorable. It was a rather simple but quite effective strategy...

Unfortunately May seemed only a little alarmed and there was a small smile on her face that did not bode well for me...

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**(May)**

At the very least I should give Drew credit for trying so hard and using very unlikely and unusual methods for a Contest battle. However, if he believed I'd just sit by idly and watch Blaziken being taken out by a single hit, then he was sadly mistaken. I had been prepared for dealing with ground and rock attacks, especially with Sandstorm. The added Twister was nice but it ultimately made little difference since all it did was add a little more power to it.

"Jump, then go into a Fire Spin!" Blaziken pushed off the ground, just as the Fissure was reaching his position and immediately started to twirl before he could get sucked in by the fierce winds. Setting his own rhythm, a third element was suddenly added to the equation and while many would say it looked absolutely suicidal since Blaziken was still the one trapped within, heat was something he could deal with. Besides, that was only part of the whole idea.

Faster and faster he spun, fanning the flames – and the raging winds did their own to fuel the fire – until they became so hot that it begun to affect the sand. Slowly at first, but then more and more the fire spread outwards and the sand... No, it didn't melt, disappear or anything the like. It was sand and super-heated sand eventually would make... glass.

Hundreds of tiny, superheated shards of glass began to form in the fiery tornado, all other traces of Drew's combination mostly extinguished. My long-time rival was visibly stunned. It was the perfect time for the counter offense.

"Now, you two!" My Pokémon needed no further explanation. Blaziken came out of his twirl, looking none the worse and immediately started to punch and kick the hot glass shards, launching them at high speeds towards Flygon. The dragon flinched and desperately tried to avoid the barrage. Unfortunately there were too many and they came too fast. Where Dawn had showered the arena with an impressive rain of ice before, the heated glass shards were perhaps even more dangerous. Both because of their sharpness and searing heat.

Beautifly wasn't idle either and used precise Silver Wind attacks to fling even more shards towards the opposing side, focusing on poor Roserade who was in even greater danger from the hailstorm of unexpected projectiles. Every hit was rough on her Grass type, after all.

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**(Ash)**

I blinked, more and more astonished. This had stopped being much of a typical Contest long ago. In fact, I wondered if it ever had been one. Drew's willingness to put himself on this level was surprising. Yet, even though knowing how much May had incorporated from my own fighting style years back, I was still very surprised to see her battle like this.

And she was having fun, I could see it. Even when Drew fought back from the unexpected assault, she pressed right onward. The determination was mesmerizing and I found myself staring at her, alight with both passion and focus for the fight, having to admit that she really was looking stunning out there.

And then I would catch and berate myself at the inappropriate thoughts, especially right now. I'd like to think that the situation itself was responsible but that would be a mere excuse. The feelings had been there before, May's confession had merely brought them out again. One thing I couldn't deny though, was that my heart was moved by the fierce spirit she was displaying. Her declarations to Drew were honest and full of conviction. She was determined to see this through. And more and more I began to falter and wonder just what the correct way to deal with this situation really was.

Eventually I clamped down on the question and became entirely enthralled with the battle. Flygon had taken a good bit of damage but powered through, countering with a very dense version of Rock Slide, hauling small, sharp stones instead of bigger ones at his opponent. Blaziken showed his agility then but was still hit by some of them, doing a lot of damage at such high speeds. At the same time Roserade attempted to recover by hitting Beautifly with sleep powder but Beautifly threatened to blow it right back. In response Roserade Vine Whipped some of the stones Flygone produced and scored a hit on Beautifly.

Drew was really fighting back hard and as the end drew near became ever bolder. So far the matchups had mostly been clear-cut. While both teams worked together well, it was mostly Blaziken VS Flygon and Beautifly VS Roserade. As such when Flygon suddenly changed targets in mid-assault, even May was surprised, for that one crucial moment too long. The fight had taken its toll on both of them and Beautifly was just a fraction too slow, avoiding both a Dragon Claw and Tail which turned out as mere setups for a Flamethrower at point-blank. Regardless how much Beautifly had shown earlier and in previous matches to control fire through a clever use of Psychic, there simply was no time and no defense right there.

May was quick to react though, taking advantage that now Roserade was equally open to attack and Blaziken used his natural type advantage quite quickly by knocking Drew's Pokémon out in return.

With only a good minute more to go, both were down to their last Pokémon, exhausted but more determined than ever to see this through. Regardless of all the circumstances, I couldn't say I had seen two so fascinating Contest battles right after another in a long time... and the final was still to come.

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**(May)**

Losing Beautifly had been a bit of a shock. The maneuver had come so utterly surprising that my mind hadn't been able to adjust quickly enough. It was so daring and unlike Drew. Going with the flow of the battle, just like Maylene had drilled into me, I had been able to even the odds again quickly enough though. And if Drew thought he had the type advantage now, he had another thing coming.

In fact the last exchange had gotten my blood pumping hard and fast, adrenaline driving through my very being. Everything else – Ash, Dawn, the entire confusing situation had disappeared. Right now all I wanted was to win. And win I would.

Blaziken had the advantage now that the battle had dragged on this long. Blaze had just kicked in and while he had trouble evading just a short while ago, the secondary Ability Speed Boost had worked long enough now that the modified Rock Slide – or any other power attack for that matter – had almost no chance of scoring a hit.

It was a neat addition to a Limit Break, allowing a Pokémon to add a hidden ability to a regular one and in combination could cause quite some havoc. Weaving, punching and kicking, Blaziken showed that his jumping power could easily overcome Flygon's air supremacy now which had thus far allowed the dragon to avoid close quarter fighting.

Just like Beautifly had been hampered by an earlier hit, the glass assault had clipped one of Flygon's wings as well and that showed now. The dragon could only react sluggishly when Blaziken powered up for a blast, combining chi manipulation with fire to shoot a powerful sphere at his opponent, homing in and following even after a near miss. Still Flygon managed two times more to evade the attack by inches, only to be caught in mid-evasion when my Pokémon flashed in front of it and performed a spin kick, the air cracking with a loud bang from the speed and power and generating a wave of energy much like the sphere.

The hit shattered any hope of reaction and defense, leaving Flygon exposed to a punishing combination of punches and kicks, keeping it in the air even though the kick alone would have brought it tumbling down. Which eventually happened after a couple of seconds of unguarded punishment.

Once again, however, Drew showed what a tough competitor he was and Flygon tried to struggle to its feet... only ceasing the action when the time was up a few seconds later. Exhaling sharply, I looked over at the board and felt relief start to purge the adrenaline rush from my system. The score was close but it was just a good bit in my favor, obviously the last exchange had done the trick after all.

"Good work, Blaziken," I said after running over to my Pokémon who was a lot more exhausted than he had let on. Looking over to Drew, I saw him tending to Flygon as well but he answered my inquiring look nonetheless.

"Well, I suppose you were determined enough. I still think you are making a mistake but since you are not backing down..." He paused, then to my great surprise since it contrasted so much with his general public image added. "I guess, all I can say now is: Good luck."

I smiled, a little sadly, since I now knew of his own feelings and how much it must have galled him to say this. I wished I could let go myself. However, he had said it just now. I would travel this path to the bitter end. "Thanks, Drew. And... for what it's worth, I'm sorry that my foolishness is making you unhappy as well."

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**Eastern Johto, close to the border (Leaf)**

Already close to sunset. Damn it. I had lost a lot of time. Whether or not it was their original intent or not, the end result would serve them one way or another. It would definitely serve Giovanni's plans. In the end I suppose I had to be grateful that I survived the fall to begin with.

**Flashback**

Instinctively I latched tightly onto Emperor for the very real fear of falling off, which at this height would be certain death. For several long seconds that felt like minutes or more, I could only hold on desperately, helpless to do anything else as my Pokémon continued to tumble and fall equally uncontrollable. There was nothing I could do other than trusting in him.

A trust that was never misplaced and helped me to fight down the panic. Finally, just above tree level, my Pidgeot managed to stabilize somewhat and while not completely able to avoid needing to meet the ground, turned the crash fall into a wobbly glide.

Shielding my face as we broke tree level, I winced as we barely avoided crashing into trees, earning myself quite a few scratches in the process. It was a testament of my friend's resilience that despite all that he actually managed to land on his feet, barely, skidding to a shuddering stop that nearly threw me off at the end.

Only then did his legs buckle and Emperor collapsed with a moan. Forcing myself to ignore the pain from the superficial wounds, I made a quick assessment of the large Bird Pokémon's own injuries. Most of it was superficial like mine, nothing a little rest wouldn't cure but... his right wing didn't look good. I had no idea what hit us and it appeared it had barely grazed my ride. Something I had to be grateful for, considering the damage from a near hit already.

Jumping off, I quickly recalled Emperor to his Pokéball, both to let him rest and get him out of further harm's way. Not a moment too late either. "Hmph, is that the welcoming committee?" There were ten in all. All of them fully armed with six Pokéballs considering they were not just for show. The black uniforms with the blazing red "R" was a dead giveaway, not that I would have needed it.

_This is bad. It's not like I can't take them. There doesn't seem to be a higher-ranking agent with them but it will take some time._ Which could only mean one thing in my opinion and at the very least confirmed that I was dead-on with my concerns about Misty. _I really don't think they are here to kill me. Giovanni can't honestly expect them to succeed._ But I wouldn't put it past the man to just simply sacrifice these agents, giving them just these kinds of orders. If they were lucky and succeeded, all the better for him. If not, they'd fight their hardest and further hinder or prevent my intervention in his main operation.

_We'll see how much spunk your men have_, I thought grimly and released my Pokémon. "Come on, boys. You want to entertain your guest, right?"

**End Flashback**

Battles like this always were a pain. Not so much because of the opponents' quality but more because of the sheer numbers and the high amount of different battles to keep track off. For the most part I could trust my Pokémon to take care of themselves, yet while these lackeys had not been tremendously strong, each of them had had one of these grotesque abominations with them, making it all that much harder.

_Their coordination as a unit was also much greater than what you expect from your average criminals._ In the end, they were no match for what I considered my elite team as of late – ever since the match with Ash at least. Shadow, Lemuria, Hellfire, Berserker with the addition of Zoroark and Zorua, each of them by themselves could deal with one of these overpowered creatures more or less by themselves. The rest was mostly just annoyances which served to drag out the battle and would require them to rest much longer now.

Well, it wasn't like I was going anywhere. The location had really been perfect for an ambush. Pretty much in the middle of nowhere, it would have taken me hours to get to the next town and even further to reach the next available Pokémon Center. Even worse was that whatever was hindering communications was still in place. That only served to both drive my anxiety higher and to make it even more impossible to do anything but wait until Emperor was recovered enough to resume flight.

"You think you can make it now?" I worriedly stroked his wing but the Shiny Pidgeot rose both of them up and gave a cry of determination. I chuckled as I got the stubborn meaning. He had no intention to be brought down so easily. Giving in now would mean admitting defeat. Normally I would have swapped immediately, even if I really didn't have a more suitable Pokémon that could carry me and was as fast as Emperor. Unfortunately the choice was already taken from me. The jamming didn't seem to just interfere with communications. At the very least I didn't get a connection to the storage system either.

"Alright then. I'm sorry to ask this of you but we must make haste." Once more swinging myself on his back, Emperor took a moment to adjust, grunting slightly but then pushed off the ground. The start was rough and I almost feared he wouldn't make it but his stubbornness pushed through and our ascend stabilized.

I just hoped this hadn't cost us too much time. Regardless of their intention or initial orders, the ambush team had succeeded in successfully stalling and stranding me for several hours. Ironically it wasn't even the battle itself but the initial damage to Emperor's wings that had ultimately achieved this. After some further examination I was quite sure it was some kind of weapon shot. A sniper rifle perhaps or something similar. That was extremely worrying. Weapons were rare enough that even on the black market getting larger amounts of them was almost impossible. If Team Rocket had enough to spare for this then...

Once more I tried to reach my girlfriend but the signal was still jammed. How was that possible anyway? This would take a large amount of technical skill and there was no way our own specialists wouldn't be able to have pinpointed the source by now. This was like a big, red warning sign. Unfortunately, it also meant that communications between the cities would be extremely limited.

I really, really didn't like this.

_Misty... be safe._

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**(Mew)**

Nothing right now would suggest that the world wasn't anything else but peaceful and beautiful. The early night sky was clear and the stars couldn't be more visible from anywhere else on the surface. The air was still mildly warm, with a refreshing breeze from the sea. Everything seemed perfect. Too perfect.

Two things, however, shattered that perfect picture for me and anyone that could see not just with their eyes but with their heart and soul as well. The first thing was the very slight difference in coloration of the moon. It was the night before the anniversary, the night before the Purple Moon. I doubted anyone but dedicated astronomers and higher-ranked League officials even knew that a phenomenon like this existed. We had kept it mostly from recorded history after all.

That night had marked the day of the Change. The horrible, catastrophic mistake we had made. It had to be that night. The Purple Moon marked a period of a special celestial alignment, culminating in our moon shining in an ethereal purple light. In this time the flow of natural energy was greatly heightened. A skilled user could accomplish feats previously impossible. A whole group of them... could change the very foundations of our world.

And that's what we had done. Unknowing and naive we had greatly underestimated the forces we wished to tamper with. Our intentions didn't matter. We had changed the very natural laws of our world through our actions, becoming much like gods in a sense where in fact we had been nothing more than children. Burned, hunted, fearful children. In the end our desire to help all animals was mostly born out of our own drive for survival. In that desire we had become and unleashed something we had not even been remotely ready for.

And now, such a long time later, everything was coming back. Was it all worth it? All the centuries of waiting, watching, agonizing? I had seen so many generations come and go, always driven by the duty I had to this world. I had to wait for this day when the chosen humans that our leader had prophesized would be born and ready for their fate.

A fate that should have been ours. We had made the mistake and we should be the ones to resolve it. Despite knowing it wasn't that simple, I had often thought about it like this. Yet, only after meeting and really getting to know Ash and Dawn and in extension everyone else I started to doubt more and more, if this was the right path. Did we really have any right to do this to them? To expect these children to fight our battles? To rectify our mistake? They had never done anything to deserve such hardships. They, more than any other humans I had met in my long life, loved our kind with all their heart. And therein, of course, existed the reason why it had to be them.

Yes, they were the Chosen, but even if they hadn't been they would not have been content to stay out of this conflict. In a sense, it should be reassuring that by being able to wield their powers effectively soon enough, they would be able to defend themselves and those they loved. It also meant though, that they would fight the hardest, most difficult and decisive battles of them all.

Gazing up at the moon, the answers I searched for were nowhere to be found and I longed to talk to the one I had always been able to confide in. "Where are you?" I whispered into the night. I hadn't said anything, but I was sure both Ash and Dawn were thinking about it, too. It had been over a month now since the incident in Cerulean Cave. I had tried to make a connection often, always with the same result. A result that frightened me more than I allowed myself to admit. Mewtwo had always been a source of strength for me. I suppose that ran both ways. Born out of my genes, he was one of the few, perhaps the only real creature on this planet that could really understand me. When I had doubted and faltered like this in the past few years as the promised time grew closer, he would always set me back on the right path. Without needing to be asked, he had supported me in all the small tasks I had to perform to prepare. But above all, he was a lot like the child I couldn't naturally have and as such had always given me a reason to continue, to strive forward.

But Mewtwo was gone and I couldn't find his presence anymore. Sure, this could mean a lot of things. Unfortunately I saw no reason why he would hide from me voluntarily. I feared for the worst. However, allowing myself to worry about it now would only distract me.

They had begun to make their move. I had been able to sense it all day and had to admit that Cynthia and her people were making a fabulous job to cover up the irregularities. Which wasn't easy at all considering this event was live on TV all across the various regions. Then again, it didn't seem those signals were even affected.

This was no highly-advanced technology. It was far too selective for that. In fact, it barely affected this place, leaving almost everyone not to notice the effects, apart from not being able to make calls to most of Kanto. Something that was easily covered up by "communication problems". I saw it though, the second reason why the night wasn't as peaceful as it appeared. I couldn't say if Dawn had seen it too, if she did, she hadn't said a word. Those gifted enough should be able to. The thin layer of energy, visible to the mind's eye as a creeping, black mist that hung in the air. The feeling alone made me shudder. That vile feeling accompanying ITs presence and influence.

Something would happen tonight. I was sure of it. And there was nothing I could really do about it. For the time being it was much better that my charges didn't know. That would only serve to distract them. Perhaps it was a little selfish but they deserved this last moment of enjoyment, of simple competition.

And those three needed this event even more to resolve their feelings for each other. They had to. The thought galled me but Zero's prophetic powers had always been strong and at their height, when he had shown us this course, there was no doubt about the certainty in his vision. They needed to stand together or the coming battles would tear them apart and the world with them.

Yet another reason why we shouldn't place this burden on them. However, it was too late to stop now. All that was left was to move forward. For tonight though, I would stay extra alert, so that no harm would come over them. It might be their last normal night.

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**(Dawn)**

I still wasn't any closer to an answer. No, not about that other matter, right now I was more occupied with the choice I had to make for tomorrow's battle. If anything May's last battle had shown me once and for all that she was rather close to our level. It would be the toughest battle I had had since the Sinnoh Grand Festival, not counting practice sparring with Ash.

My initial choice would have been Prinplup, of course. From among the three Pokémon May had used so far, her Blaziken was the most likely choice. But I didn't think so. One didn't bring an unevolved Eevee into a Contest of this magnitude without some clear intention behind it. In fact, I was almost certain May would use it tomorrow and that there was more to it than the battle with Christine had offered. Much more.

"Don't overthink it too much." I smiled slightly at the genuine concern from Ash and had to admit he was probably right. That Eevee was an unknown factor, certainly with a surprise ready to be unleashed, that was all I knew and likely ever going to figure out until tomorrow. With no further information, it was for the best to make my choice based on whom I felt was the most ready from my own Pokémon.

That wasn't quite what Ash had in mind though, I could tell. He had been holding back all day but the control was fleeting and started to wane as soon as we got back to our hotel. Now I could feel his barely contained inquiry burning into me. It was a talk that was inevitable and one I felt slightly more ready for than I had last night. "I'm sorry," I started, taking his comment with a slightly altered interpretation, "I must have confused you last night. I wasn't really able to explain my own reaction then."

"But you can now?" I turned around in the chair at the desk. His gaze neutral, trying to be open but with a certain intensity as he sat on the small couch. It would be a tough prospect to convince him of but I had to try. No, I think I even had to succeed.

"More or less. But before I answer that, let me ask you something myself." He nodded slowly, suppressing his own curiosity. "How do you feel about May's confession. Honestly, I mean. For a moment try not to think about me, just tell me how you feel."

For a moment I thought he would refuse and brush it off, that he would react as defensively as he had yesterday. However, it seemed that he had been thinking a lot himself over the course of the day. "I can't say I never had feelings for her. In fact, I can't really say those feelings ever disappeared. At that time I was too... stupid to really understand." I suppressed a giggle at that admission but my amusement must have shown on my face since he glared at me briefly before continuing. "I was also far too preoccupied with myself and Pokémon. So, yes, it does affect me. At the very least I consider May a very important friend and I guess I am flattered and all these other things. I don't want to hurt her either."

I had thought as much. Ash was a kind person to the core. Even if his thoughts were solely on me, part of his instant reaction was to spare May further heartache by not dragging out what he thought was inevitable. I could understand it and would normally have supported it. This wasn't normal though. Mew had gotten me to start thinking but only last night had I found final clarity. I hoped Ash would understand. He had to, because deep down part of him had to realize it as well.

"But, Dawn, I can't. I can't treat it separately. I might have had – perhaps still have – feelings for May but I love you. Right now you are the most important thing to me. More important than anything else." I gasped slightly, startled at the powerful admission. It was like saying I was even more important than his Pokémon or his dream... He had never said it like that and I couldn't help the trembling of my heart at the declaration. Even after all this time he still managed to surprise me.

"I can't... I won't give that up for anything, regardless of how much I might care for May. I don't want to hurt you, ever." His words definitely made it harder to argue but they also confirmed what I believed how Ash was interpreting the situation and May's confession. I had wanted to bring that point across to him yesterday but was unable to do so. With a whole day to have everything sink in, it seemed Ash had only become more convinced of his own conclusions.

"Thank you, that means a lot to me. And just for the record. You could never hurt me, I know that. However, I think you still don't really understand what May was saying last night." He looked at me confused and perhaps almost begging me to enlighten him. It would have been almost cute if not for the seriousness of the situation. He could still be so naïve when it came to the emotional aspects of life sometimes, regardless how much he had matured. "Tell me, what do you think May meant when she said she loved us both?"

Ash scrunched up his face, clearly unsure of himself how to answer this, only further confirming that he had his doubts about his own conclusions. "Well, I'm not entirely sure. But I guess she meant that she liked you a lot, too. That she doesn't want to hurt you or... well, I guess that she doesn't want to come between us in the first place." I raised an eyebrow, not having expected that answer to be honest, and waited for him to continue. "I don't know how she expects to do that other than... uh, you two sharing me or something."

I stared at him for a long moment, incredulous, partly relieved that he wasn't that far off the mark after all, amused at his embarrassment at what he had just said but also unsure if the truth would make it easier or worse. As protective as he was of me and our relationship, knowing and understanding May's real intentions didn't really change that much about the overall situation and all the arguments he probably had against the idea.

Finally Ash had enough of shifting uncomfortably under my gaze. "I guess that isn't it?" I couldn't help it. His almost comical confusion was just too ridiculous and I had to giggle this time, followed by a brief but stronger laughter.

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**(Ash)**

"Oh, Ash, for all the maturing you did in this last year and a half, you are still pretty clueless when it comes to girls and love."

I scowled at her which only made her laugh again. Honestly, joking around in a situation like this. "Well, excuse me for me being emotionally retarded." Perhaps it was for the best though. I appreciated Dawn's attempt to relieve the tension just a little. Besides, that we were able to do so in the middle of a serious conversation that was far from done only proved that our relationship was still intact and more steadfast than ever.

Not that I ever had any doubts that something was wrong, part of me had feared, however, that May's interjection could have sparked jealousy and insecurity in Dawn which she was trying hard to suppress. That obviously wasn't the case. There was some deeper meaning after all behind her reaction and behavior since yesterday. And I would do my best to hear her out. That was the least I could do in a situation where it should be more her right to get upset than it was mine. If she wasn't, there had to be a reason for it. And the first step to the answer was obviously my incomprehension of the meaning within May's confession.

The moment of tension relief passed after a very brief grin of my own and Dawn rose from her chair and settled down next to me. I felt immediately more at ease at her closer presence but refrained from putting an arm around her. She wanted me attentive and getting too comfortable now would only be distracting.

"Ash... May said exactly what she meant. That she LOVED us both. She was addressing us both, not just you. It isn't 'like' or 'respect' for me or anything like that. It is love in its purest meaning." And I knew she was right. A part of me deep inside had always known but wasn't able to wrap itself around the truth. With Leaf as a friend, it wasn't like the whole girl loving girl thing was new or incomprehensible for me, albeit I had to admit that I had never seen it coming from May. I would have been far less surprised if it had been Zoey...

Making this realization didn't necessarily change things though. "Even if that's true... Dawn, what do you expect to do about it? Try it out and see what happens?" I snorted slightly. "Do you realize, just assuming theoretically for a moment, how hard it would be to make something like that work? Can it even work? Because frankly I can only see it ending badly. I can only speak for myself but eventually I fear that I would just end up preferring one over the other and then agonize over treating the other unfairly."

How did you even make a relationship with three people work? Saying you wanted to try just because you got along with each other well enough on all ends wasn't exactly enough. Trying was easy, maintaining was the hard part and it would hurt so much more when it eventually fell apart.

Dawn was quiet for a moment but the determination to make her point hadn't disappeared from her face. "Ash, I could feel it when she confessed. Her feelings are honest. There really is no malicious intention behind it. In fact, I believe she is more afraid of hurting us and didn't... still doesn't expect any kind of positive outcome." I bit back a remark, knowing it was inappropriate. It would be unfair, too, blaming May for making the confession in the first place. It must have torn her apart to carry these feelings around for so long. I could admit to that now after allowing myself to understand and embrace the true complexity of the situation. It wasn't that I had ever been upset with May, this just made understanding and sympathizing easier... And a rejecting harder.

"But that's not really the point right now. I wasn't sure yesterday why I reacted that way, only that I had been trying to... figure something out ever since the thing with Christine happened." I sat up more straight, realizing Dawn was finally getting to the main point of her argument, swallowing any comments I had myself. "It's hard to explain, so... can I show you instead?"

Confused but always willing to oblige my girlfriend, I nodded, and felt the tingle on my mind immediately when she placed her hand on my forehead and obviously focused her power. Resisting the instinctive urge to push back against the invasion, I relaxed my mind and allowed her presence to fill me and in the next moment the world around us shifted.

I didn't even try to adequately describe the colorful vista all around us. It was disconcerting enough to look at for any longer moment of time. Instead I focused on what I could see directly in front of me. It was a pulsating bright sphere. Just looking at it made my heart feel strange. Much like when Dawn and I were having a close and romantic moment. Calmness, security, but also passion and vibrancy was radiating from the sphere. Above all else there was love though. Even before I asked, I knew the answer to what I was seeing.

"This is a mental manifestation of what we share. You could say it is kind of like a place that connects us with this sphere in the center. I had this dream last night and it made me realize something crucial."

I started at that, briefly tearing my gaze away from the sight before me to look at her. "You had a dream? Like..."

Dawn interjected before I could finish. "No, I wouldn't call it a vision. As I said this is more like a visual projection of the bond we share. Or maybe it's just a symbolic representation of our relationship... Either way, what is more important is what you can see here." She pointed at the sphere. "See, the colors? They represent us, I think." There was an equal portion of yellow and white in the sphere. I wondered for a moment about the colors but then remembered something Mew had said about prime elements and the colors associated with them. It suddenly made a lot more sense and at the same time got more disturbing as the visualization took on a whole different meaning.

"And then there is that." I had seen it, of course, but instinctively shied away from looking or acknowledging. With no choice now, I immediately felt a hollow feeling inside of me, looking at the last third – entirely equal to the white and yellow portions within the sphere – being filled by blackness. To call it color might not even be right. It was more like a hole. Something that... was not yet filled.

And with that startling thought, the mental link broke and we were back in our hotel room. Unsure of what it was that I had just experienced and what my reaction to what I had seen meant, I could only look at Dawn, hoping and wishing she could provide an answer for me. An answer to why my heart was suddenly aching like this.

"It's not a question of sympathy or wanting to try, Ash. I think what May wants might be something we need. I've been sure of it for some time now. Don't take this the wrong way, please, because it doesn't change what I feel for you or how much I love you. That dream simply made me realize that something was... missing. Something to make us... complete."

I really had no reply for that. After what I had seen I could not deny the truth in her words, I could not deny that her words described exactly what I was feeling right now. And as much as it explained, it only served to make this more confusing, more personal, more complicated. I knew what she was really saying. That this something that was lacking, might just be May...

Instead of giving voice to all my own doubts and insecurities that came with the realization, I was more curious as to what Dawn planned to do about it. Her whole behavior the entire day was starting to make a lot more sense now, even if I wasn't convinced at all that what she was insinuating was the right choice. It was too sudden and I really had to think about it some more. "What do you want to do now?" I asked instead, not able or wanting to go deeper into this new realization until I had time to give it some thought.

"Honestly, I don't know." Now that one surprised me a bit. I got a pretty good idea where she had wanted to go with making me understand all this, or at least I thought I had. "All that was more logical and mental. I can't even say I have the same feelings for May as she says she has for me. But that doesn't mean they can't develop. Just as much as that missing portion we saw just now could be filled out by what we have eventually." Then a look of greater certainty came over her face though and I could tell her resolve was hardening. "I will know... No, we will both know tomorrow though. That's why this match is so important. I can feel it deep inside me that we will have our answers then."

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

Sleep hadn't come easy today. The communication problem had prevailed and contact with the League and other sites within Kanto was severely limited this way. As part of the emergency plan, every major city had at least one capable psychic who could communicate telepathically with the others. Yet, even that form of communication, while not entirely cut off, seemed to be greatly hampered.

And no one so far had been able to figure out where the jamming came from. Something that I found deeply disturbing. You couldn't just generate something so wide-reaching, yet highly selective without leaving some sort of trace, right? Our local psychic Trainer was definitely highly disturbed by something, which suggested that this might not be a technical issue to begin with.

Unfortunately there was little we could do about it. Most of Kanto was in the same situation and leaving our posts now in order to investigate would most certainly be what Team Rocket wanted. That they were somehow behind this, there was no question at all. And so the day was spent in an ever-rising anxiety for something to happen and the longer this dragged on, the harder it became to bear. I would have preferred to have simple boredom again.

As such, my sleep was already light and the first tremor stirred me out of my uneasy rest. I thought I heard a distant explosion but couldn't be sure about it... Then there was no doubt as a much closer and louder bang shook the Gym, the vibrations nearly sending me tumbling out of bed.

Jolted fully awake, I jumped up and ran over to the window. While I couldn't see much I clearly did notice smoke rising from several places in the city... It took me several more seconds to fully comprehend the situation. For all of my own concerns and Leaf's warning, neither of us had really expected it. Perhaps somewhere close, but not... not...

"Damn it!" I cursed and quickly slipped into my clothes before grabbing my Pokéballs, very glad now that I had refused to leave them anywhere other than at most a few feet away. My heart was hammering and I could feel adrenaline rushing through my body, pushing away the last vestiges of sleep and forcing me not to think too much and just act. I had to first find out what was really going on. For all I knew this could be anything from a distraction to some kind of sabotaging act...

Sprinting out into the hallway I nearly collided with Aisha who was also up and trying her best not to look frightened. I really should have insisted that she left but it was too late for that now. Not saying a word, we both hastened for the entrance just as the distant blaring sound of sirens – the citywide ones used for emergencies – split the air.

Clearing the entrance, I came to a sudden stop at the sight that greeted us. The angle I had had from my bedside window had hardly been able to prepare me for this. All around us buildings and other parts of the city were burning, smoke lying heavily in the air. Here and there I could see police officers and official League personnel fighting in the street, driven back steadily under the onslaught of waves of black-clad figures with the distinctive letter on front.

Cerulean City was under attack. The target the League had been trying to figure out so desperately in the last months was... my home. I couldn't wrap my mind around it even as I stared and took in the reality all around us.

How long had this gone on? It couldn't have been more than a few minutes if the catastrophe sirens were only now reacting. Yet the damage was already this big and even more worrying was that the enemy had already penetrated this deep into the city. Security had been so tight; an approach of a force this big should have been noticed long in advance in order to organize a proper defensive line.

However, I realized, communication was severely limited and even other technology was affected, some less, some more. Under these circumstances it might just be possible to surprise even an alert security force anticipating such an event.

The attempt to analyze the cause did nothing to lessen the shock of the severity of the assault. This wasn't just an attack in an attempt to take over the city or deal damage to certain key locations; it was more like they were out to raze the very city to the ground. Swarms of Pokémon were flying above, letting loose with Hyper Beams or other such devastating attacks and it really didn't look like they were following a specific pattern other than attempting to cause as much destruction and havoc as possible. And during all that the invaders on the ground engaged the security force or any other able person with means to fight, keeping them busy from doing something against the aerial attacks... if not cutting right through any resistance to begin with.

It was brutal. It was heart wrenching. And it was inconceivable.

"Oh god..." I finally pressed out, yet still not able to physically react. That was remedied a moment later when a Hyper Beam struck a building close by, causing a sickening and ear-splitting sound. The shockwave slammed into me hard and I found myself flung off my feet, impacting hard with the ground.

My head was ringing and my right side was aching but the pain finally penetrated the fog in my mind and allowed me to push past my stupor. There was no time for shock, no time for asking why or how. Right now everyone's lives were in danger and as Gym Leader of the city I had no place to just stand around here and gawk!

Accepting Aisha's support, I struggled to my feet. My body ached from the impact but no lasting damage seemed to have occurred and the throbbing helped me focus. If something wasn't done now, there would be no one and nothing left to analyze later. I wasn't sure what I could do myself but I had a duty to fulfill, both as a Gym Leader and as a citizen that loved her home.

"Bastards, you'll pay for this," I growled. "Stay close to me," I told Aisha as I took the firsts steps towards the rest of the city, intent on joining the fight. I knew she was frightened yet wouldn't want to go hide somewhere either. Hell, would I allow myself a moment to think, I would probably realize how scared I was myself. But I couldn't. If I did that, I would certainly not be able to do anything. Instead I focused on the anger and fury inside of me to help me concentrate on what was important. To defend my home, whatever it took.

We barely had cleared the front entrance when some unexplainable sensation made me look up. I saw the attack coming, far too close to properly react and instinctively shoved Aisha to the side before diving out of the way myself. It was by far not enough as the explosion going off between us flung me through the air far harder than the shockwave before. Somehow I managed to catch my wild flight and rolled into a kneeling position, albeit wincing from my aching muscles and my burning backside.

When I was able to look around again there was a whole platoon of black-clad Team Rocket members advancing on us and in the midst I could just make out the familiar hair and face of someone I could have done without ever seeing again. At the same time Domino met my look with a disturbing smirk of her own.

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**(Narrator)**

"And so it begins. While Ash and company deal with their own problems on Twinheart Island they remain yet largely unaware of the peril their old friend is now finding herself in. The severity of Team Rocket's attack is both unexpected and inconceivably shocking. What will become of Misty? How will this turn of events affect Ash and the others? And will they even have time to figure out their own romantic complications in the midst of all this chaos? The answer to these questions lies within the next episode and the explosive final of the second arc. Be sure to tune in again!"

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**Maia's Prophecy**

**Maia: *zips past* Yaaaaayyyy!**

**MysticMew: Great, now I get a hyper one again. Well, better than depressed and apocalyptic I suppose.**

**Maia: *jumps on MysticMew's back* I see. I see. I see in the future. I see... the end of some things and the beginning of many more.**

**MysticMew: *trying to ignore the added weight* ... That's all?**

**Maia: Hmm... yeah. I mean everything else they already know, can guess or it would be telling too much.**

**MysticMew: *mutters* Are you sure you aren't just lazy? Whoa, hey...! Put that away! I didn't mean...**

***CRASH* *SLAP* *CRACK***

**Maia: *smugly* I'm not lazy. I'm busy. So busy... So many yummy treats yet to consume. Hold on my darlings I'm coming! *zips away again***

**MysticMew: *groaning* I might regret saying it but... Thanks for all the food. Maia IS grateful... even if she's overdoing it.**

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**Author's Notes**

Once more, I really do appreciate all the feedback and hope dearly it's not just a one-time thing to keep my muse from consuming us all...

Alright. This episode was interesting to write. A good mixture of longer battle scenes and character interaction, mostly further dealing with Ash, Dawn and May's situation. I hope I did well with the battles and gave everyone a nice first snack before it gets to the Dawn/May showdown among others. I had to set some priorities or this episode would have gone on even longer or I would have to split outright in which case I honestly didn't have much more to do at this point for the other characters. However, I tried to make the Dawn/Zoey and May/Drew matches as detailed as possible, hence the multiple views. Those fights really got big, thus the additional short Zoey and Drew POVs. Well, I hope you enjoyed some action at least.

As for the romantic angle. I think it should be obvious by now where I'm heading with those three. Not that it will be simple, by far not. I merely hope that the majority of my readers can keep an open mind. I try to make this as plausible as possible. Well, that's all I'm going to say about it until after next episode.

Next episode is going to be the big final of Arc 2, perhaps a very small epilogue after that. I'm not sure yet, have to see how the size plays out. These things are really getting rather large again. However, this should be about the average size you should expect for one episode in Arc 3 since we have everyone in place and given more or less equal importance.

There's actually really not much more I have to say here, so as always: Keep up with the reviews and we shall keep the episodes coming.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	29. 0209a: The Point of No Return, Part 1

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 9

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Beta

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

Apologies for the long delay. There is a good reason for that. Essentially we have been working on two episodes at once without realizing it until much further in. Considering that, I think Maia and I have been very fast in getting this out, working overtime during many segments of the episode(s). It was getting entirely too long, however, and in the end I had to decide to split it apart. That worked quite well actually with a clean split after the final.

First of all, to the person with the most crazy username I have ever seen. Yes, that means you... HP-DG-SB-HA-RR-KB-NT-TD-LL-AJ. *lol* I can only imagine there is some system behind this, otherwise I really wonder how you can remember that, because frankly I couldn't. ^_^ Thank you for your kind review. It is good to hear in detail that I am doing a good job.

My personal highlight among the reviews goes to Advent of Shadows, however. And with that to a person that won't be here to see this anymore because they decided not to continue because they did not like my style. And that is fine. Personally I can't really recall anyone reviewing, saying they won't keep reading and explaining their reasons in an orderly and decent fashion without making it seem like a flame or baseless criticism. It was merely a personal taste preventing further reading. While that saddens me, I'm deeply grateful that this reader took the time to actually leave a review in the first place where as many others read through a story they thoroughly enjoy but never leave a single line saying so.

I can honestly say that I probably wouldn't do what Advent of Shadows did either, not after reading a prologue and a chapter and deciding it is not what I want. Normally one would simply discard without the author being ever the wiser... But Advent of Shadows did leave a review and I feel such an action should be noted and praised as a shining example to all readers out there. Even I do feel humbled.

**Shameless Plug**

Since I'm done with Arc 2 by the time I'm releasing this, Maia and I seem to have settled on what we do next. While I cannot guarantee it will stay this way, we have already done a good bit of the prologue to a new story continuum called "Facets of Magic". This one will be a cross between several series but with a greater focus on Sailor Moon and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha (since neither of us could resist any longer ^_^), with probably a healthy bit of Negima mixed in later on. This seems to suit us best since this way we can combine our two most recent favorites of the last years with our all-time classic. Again, I can't say for sure we'll stick with it. This is the experimentation phase between two projects. It usually takes us awhile to settle on what to do next.

That being said, I'll provide the prologue as an alpha somewhere in the next days. So anyone that has me on their update list (and not just the story), I'd be delighted, if you would give it a chance and a first opinion of how it looks.

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**(Narrator)**

"It should have been a time of celebration and excitement. The first qualification round for a brand new event that is supposed to bring Trainers, Coordinators and Pokémon closer together. However, in the month leading up to these days... and even further ago than that, a dark shadow has begun to loom over the land. On the eve of Dawn's successful victory at the Kanto Grand Festival, a fateful encounter with the Legendary Pokémon Mew has marked a turning point in Ash and Dawn's life. Mew tells of an ancient history and of the destiny they are chosen to face."

Behind the stage of the Contest Hall on Twinheart Island, Dawn and May prepare for their match.

"It is now the day of the final of this new Contest type that so far has seen some fierce competition. However, this match between Dawn and May means far more to them than just victory or loss. After May's confession of her feelings towards Ash and Dawn, this match has become the battleground from which the future of those three would be written."

Meanwhile, some time earlier, the sun rises over a burning Cerulean City.

"Unbeknownst to them, however, their destiny has already begun to unfold and one of their friends is now in dire danger from a brutal and shocking strike aimed at her home, Cerulean City. Chaos, destruction and death reign in the once beautiful city. Soon enough all these events will come together and the world will have to face its greatest crisis yet since that time ages ago, long forgotten by history. It will be then that the skills, courage and bonds of our heroes will be tested to their fullest and beyond."

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

"Kingdra, cover Gyarados. Gyarados, Stone Edge!" The Thunderbolt bounced off relatively harmlessly from Kingdra. However, fighting for so long was taking its toll on my Pokémon and Kingdra's movement that should have been executed much more fluently was sluggish. Gyarados lost no time though and hammered a rain of sharp stones into the Manectric. It collapsed with a grunt but little other expression of pain. Immediately Gyarados charged up for another Hyper Beam and put enough power into it to obliterate everything in its path.

There was no time to even feel the twinges of regret of having to do this – regardless of how vile and twisted these... things were. Already I had to turn my attention to the next immediate front needing my attention. Starmie and Corsola were battling with five enemies at once the last time I checked. Well, it was only three now. An Abomasnow, Parasect and Voltorb. And the latter fell just then. But Corsola was barely hanging on by sheer force of will and a constant execution of Aqua Ring and Mirror Coat. Taking the brunt of damage from the Grass-type moves but still returning them twofold.

"Starmie, Rapid Spin, then Flash Cannon!" My oldest Pokémon spun around a series of attacks, spinning at dizzying speed, then emitted a powerful beam of silvery energy at such a close range that there was not a moment for its opponents to evade. The spinning only gathered more energy for the attack and the Abomasnow that had been such a pain for almost all my Pokémon up to now took the full force with Parasect being flung away from the force and right into a combination of Corsola's Ice Beam and Vaporeon's Aurora Beam, freezing it solid before Corsola hurled a Power Gem at the ice block breaking it apart with a satisfying crack..

While waiting to see if Abomasnow would recover, I glanced around and noted that for the first time in what felt like hours – and perhaps it had been that long already – there was no one and nothing else immediately threatening our existence. Gyarados had knocked out the remaining Rockets and it seemed that Abomasnow was down for the count as well.

Cautious, I made a more serious inspection of the immediate area and after once again coming up empty, allowed myself a brief moment of rest and to survey the state of my Pokémon. Only Gyarados and Starmie still seemed ready to go, albeit being somewhat winded. Kingdra was exhausted but was already using the opportunity for a brief Rest. Corsola had taken a lot of damage with her defense and countering approach and poor Vaporeon was barely hanging on. She had fought bravely and hard to this point, clearly going far past her limit. They all had.

Recalling the latter two to their Pokéballs for now, I leaned heavily against the side of a destroyed building. There wasn't much left of it. The roof had pretty much completely been burnt away – or perhaps simply blown off –, while the rest of the stone was charred and blackened. And this was just one of many. Just a small example of the state the city had been reduced to.

The sun was starting to peek through the plumes of smoke and the flickering fires all around us. It had been around three in the morning when I had been woken by the initial attack and dawn was already close. Only now I realized exactly how much time had passed. And with every hour things had become bleaker.

In the beginning, I had barely had an idea of the true scope of the attack, stuck fighting with Domino's initial forces for quite some time. For some reason the woman had not participated directly and moved on elsewhere. I had little time to be galled or worried about that. The men she had brought with her were obviously some of their best, they definitely had some of the strongest warped Pokémon with them. It hadn't looked good at first until some relief had arrived from security forces that had been forced back. Of course, that had only meant that their pursuers were soon to follow.

We had managed to take out about half the force before reinforcements arrived and I had been separated from Aisha and the rest. Until now I hadn't been able to allow myself to worry. I couldn't think about it. I couldn't think about the destruction all around me as continuous battles had driven me further away from the Gym and into the rest of the city, I couldn't allow myself to think over the bodies, the cries for help or the resuming sounds of further chaos and misery being inflicted. If I did, I knew it would break me.

And so I held onto my focus with an iron will and used the pain from the wound where a bullet had barely missed me as a reminder why I had to continue on no matter what. There weren't many but the fact that some of those Rockets were actually carrying firearms was alarming enough. Not just for myself but for the Pokémon as well. After having nearly been shot once, I had made it a priority to take out those actually wielding such a weapon right away.

The longer I had gone on, the less defenders I had seen and the more defeated, some dead, some not able to continue... it was debatable who was worse off. The assault was relentless and brutal and while it seemed a lot of the high quantity of modified Pokémon was countered by a lack of base quality – there were a lot of first stage evolution Pokémon among the invaders –, the sheer number and their mindless battle lust with little regard for their own health was overwhelming.

Shaking off the reflective thoughts, knowing that thinking about the hopelessness of the situation would not get me anywhere, I recalled my other Pokémon and made my way back towards the Gym, breaking out into a sprint. Now that I had a bit of freedom to think, the worry was pushing against my will. There was no way Aisha could have fought or even held all these enemies off by herself. If anything I had to get her out of here. That was the least and perhaps the only thing I could do for now.

_This is madness. What do they hope to gain from this_? I thought in anger and frustration, barely catching myself before stumbling over some debris. The smoke was making my eyes water and it was hard to see... No, I had to be honest. I was crying, crying for what was happening to my home and how powerless I was to do anything about it.

The only thing that drove me onwards now was the hope to see one of the few real friends I had left safe. As the Gym came into view, I simply stared for several seconds as I continued my approach, then the anger once again took hold at the sight of the destruction in front of me. Compared to the rest of the city, the Gym still stood but there were big holes blasted all over the outer wall and the ground in front showed even more signs of a fierce confrontation. But there was nothing left now. No Pokémon battling it out. Bodies were strewn all over the ground and steps and most of them were those in League uniforms and police officers.

Sparing them only a sad passing glance, I sprinted up the steps and jumped through the mostly broken glass of the front doors before coming to a panting stop, looking around in the darkened hallway, electricity long having perished along with so many other things. Then I could pick out the sounds of nearby fighting and I dashed off into the direction of the pool area. I had almost reached my destination when a familiar scream echoed through the halls and threatened to shatter my heart into tiny pieces at the apparent source...

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**Opening Theme (Shining Days, Mai-HiME)**

A blue, cloudless sky. Mew flies into the picture and performs a few twists, turns and loopings, writing the series title into the air. The camera zooms in on Mew's face and it looks like the viewer is drawn in.

_aozora ippai ni_

_watashitachi no omoi ga chiribamerarete yuku_

Ash and Dawn are standing together on a hill, holding hands. Dawn leans closer and Ash embraces her. They lean in for a kiss.

_unmei no hito ga anata nara iinoni_

_genjitsu wa umaku yukanai_

The scene fades out from a television frame. May is sitting in front, watching with longing. Naru jumps into her lap and she smiles in determination, jumping up as the scene fades around her.

_hikaru kaze no naka_

_yume no hane maioriru yo_

Misty is swimming in a pool. She stops to float on her back, then submerges into the water. In the reflection she sees Leaf and reaches out uncertainly with conflicted feelings on her face.

_yuuki dashite mirai e_

_sou utsukushiku..._

Misty breaks the surface of the water with a leap, suddenly at a beach. Leaf is sitting on the shore and waving at her.

May is running towards a faraway image of Ash and Dawn with a smile of determination.

_ugokidasu atsui kodou ga_

Ash and Pikachu are running over a plain, jumping over hurdles and Pikachu letting loose lightning attacks.

_ano hi to onaji hayasa wo kizamu yo_

A split screen of Dawn and May. Piplup and Buneary are creating a giant ice stadium and Beautifly is dancing within a Ninetails flames (see Episode 1 for both). Dawn and May are looking towards each other as if they were in the same place.

A brief flash of Brock and Ako standing together with Flareon and Leafeon.

_massugu na manazashi ga suki_

_zutto miteitai_

Short image of Giovanni in his office with a dark disembodied form behind him.

Scene switches back to Ash, arriving at a hill. Looking up he smiles seeing Dawn, May, Brock, Ako, Leaf and Misty standing atop and waiting for him.

Camera shifts up into the sky and from where it fades out of Mew's eye again who flies down and into the prior scene, landing on top of Dawn's shoulders.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Episode 09: The Point of No Return! Between Victory and Defeat! Part 1

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Cynthia)**

The small room was ablaze with anxious energy. One didn't need to be a psychic to tell. I could feel it, too, the overwhelming anxiousness to act, to do something. Instead I was stuck here. Not only far away from the action but also chained by my position and the still very real threat that something might happen here after all.

"I can't believe their force was this big already." Ironically enough Twinheart might be the only place close enough to what was happening right now that had the most detailed scope of the situation in most of Kanto. We were at least able to catch snippets of broken communications like distress calls and frantic attempts at status reports.

"Don't blame yourself. I didn't think the seal would have weakened so much to allow interference like this either. Even if it is the day before the Purple Moon." The biggest boon though was Mew assisting our residential psychic with keeping up the connection with the rest. It seemed that together they were able to connect to all the others at one of the major assault points and provide an accurate account of the situation.

Yes, there were more than one. The sheer numbers involved were staggering. Every major city, Celadon, Saffron, Viridian... Everywhere the reports were the same. Not that the enemy had small armies deployed to all location. But the forces involved were not only highly trained but also possessing an appalling number of those twisted Pokémon Leaf had encountered in Cerulean Cave. There was no tactics to these attacks, just a clear-cut frontal assault, designed – and successfully so – to occupy the defenses there. The stationed Elites could hold them off but it was enough to keep them in one place.

And that, I had quickly realized, was precisely the idea. None of these forces were meant to carry out the real strike. They were ALL distractions. The real strike had landed where none of us had truly expected it. Cerulean City had very little to offer in tactical value. Perhaps the power plant in the northeast but that was hardly worth the effort. I couldn't imagine what kind of value Giovanni would see there.

Of course, it hardly mattered. What mattered was that Team Rocket had clearly made fools out of us with that kind of strategy and there was preciously little we could do from here. With the kind of numbers already used against us, rushing over to Cerulean now, with the little I had at hand here, would firstly not make much of a difference and secondly leave this place completely open as well.

"What are you going to do?"

Yes, what was I going to do? I had to wonder, closing my eyes more in frustration than in thought. I could rush over to Cerulean now but several hours had already gone by, contact with our local psychic had been lost awhile ago. Also, Lance would surely know the same that I did and he was the one much more free to move. I had a job to do here in the meanwhile. Several of them actually. Especially since it seemed the interfering influence on communication was starting to disappear. Very soon we wouldn't be able to keep the events of this night secret anymore and it was not hard to imagine the reaction of the public.

"My job. As inappropriate as it sounds, we cannot cancel the final now. We still don't know anything about the situation in Cerulean and very little about the other places. Keeping this under wraps is impossible, of course, but I'd rather have more information to present before everyone here learns of this. If this gets out unchecked, it will only cause a panic. And that's the least we need right now."

Mew frowned but nodded eventually. "What are you going to tell the media? They are going to know about this as soon as communications are fully functional again."

She had a good point there and it was one of the issues I would need to address right away. "I will enact a state of emergency. All media must run information through the League first before they are released. That will buy us some time at least." Not very much. All it took was someone in the crowd getting one call from a person they knew anywhere in Kanto and things would quickly spiral out of control. It was a good thing that the final round was early in the morning and that Contest battles were timed. We might just be able to keep it together that long.

"Alright, I suppose that will have to do. Keep an eye on the kids, please, I will take a look at Cerulean. There might not be much I can do but one of them is still there and I can't allow anything to happen to her." The small Legendary looked clearly distressed at that thought, perhaps more so than when we first learned of the attacks. It might seem a little harsh to be more worried over an individual life than the entire situation. But considering their importance...

"Are you sure she's..." I didn't dare speak it out loud. Until psychic contact with Cerulean was lost the information we had received were... appalling. The ferocity and brutality of the attack there was hard to comprehend and I feared what it had to look like now. If Giovanni knew all of the kids' identities, there was no way he would not seize the opportunity to take them out of the picture permanently.

Mew shook her head, face grim but certain. "No, I would have felt it. Regardless of the influence, I would definitely know. She's still alive and probably fighting a losing battle as it is. That's why I'm afraid, I can no longer offer any assistance here. I have to prepare for a long-range Teleport, otherwise it would drain me too much to do something afterwards."

"Understood. We can take it from here and... good luck." We all needed that now. Not just at this moment but for the near future as well. The situation was already a catastrophe, no matter how you looked at it. If Team Rocket's only goal tonight had been to wreak as much havoc as possible, then they had certainly achieved that goal already.

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**(Brock)**

They always say curiosity killed the Skitty. Well, it might not have killed me but I had definitely learned much more than I cared about knowing. I had been on my way back to the infirmary wing after getting some needed supplies when I had come across Cynthia talking with someone that seemed to belong to the security detail for the event.

I hadn't been oblivious to the happenings of yesterday. Something definitely was going on. These "communication problems" were much more than that, I was sure of it. Even with as little as Cynthia had revealed to us initially, it didn't take much to figure out that Team Rocket was most likely behind it somehow. As the problem had prevailed all day and even until now, my concerns grew only stronger. I had thought about pressing Ash for answers, but as he and Dawn were so occupied with their own situation, I wondered if they had even noticed.

Nothing could have quite prepared me for what I learned from eavesdropping on the conversation in the hallway. No one else was around and my happening across them was pure coincidence, as such neither of them seemed concerned about unwanted listeners.

_I can't believe this is happening_, I thought, torn inside at how to react but generally to numb still to take any kind of action. Cynthia had hinted before that they were expecting some kind of major operation, but this... This was inconceivable. A whole city?

**Flashback**

"Ma'am, the chief wants an update on the situation in Kanto. Are there any changes?"

Changes? Situation? So something big really was going on and with communications down we were practically blind and deaf here. Inching a little closer, I focused even stronger on making out the low voices. Thankfully, since no one else was down here and there were few background sounds, I could hear them rather clearly.

"So far unchanged. The other cities are holding but it's obvious that they merely wished to tie up our forces there," Cynthia replied and a knot began to form in my stomach at what I was hearing. This wasn't just some single, terroristic act they were talking about. "The jamming is lessening, expect a return to normal within the day. I have informed the media about a state of emergency, so that no information is distributed before we can give a proper statement... That being said..."

"Someone could hear anyway."

There was a pause and I held my breath, my heart hammering at the reality of just how severe the situation was but I couldn't leave yet. I had to know now what was really going on. "Tell the chief to prepare measures for handling a panic, just in case. However, security comes first. At this point we cannot predict if this place might become a target, too."

"And Cerulean?" The question rattled me deeply and I waited anxiously for Cynthia to make her reply.

_What? What about Cerulean? What's happening? Is Cerulean under attack, too? Then, what about Misty? And what about the other cities? Pewter, and my own family?_

"I am afraid at this point we must assume the worst. We have lost contact for quite some time now and the invasion force had already overrun half the city at least at that point. If Master Lance couldn't send reinforcements in time, there is preciously little we can do here and now. At the moment we must see to the safety of all those here."

I slumped against the wall in shock, struggling to process all that I had heard. I wished I hadn't. I wished I had been a few minutes slower or faster and therefore not stumbled upon this conversation. My stomach felt queasy and I wondered if I was going to throw up. _Oh god, Misty..._

**End Flashback**

She couldn't be dead. I refused to believe it. We had been together for so long, I was sure I would know. Deep down in my heart I would know. Of course that didn't mean she was safe. Knowing her, she wouldn't go down without a fight and keep fighting until she couldn't move any longer. And that realization only made my now very real fear that much stronger.

What was I supposed to do now? What could I do? Rush off, somehow find some way to Cerulean and then what? The way it sounded, this had been going on for at least several hours now. Even if I could get my hand on the fastest transportation method could I even hope to make it in time? And what kind of difference would a single person make anyway?

I should go and tell Ash. He should know. He needed to know... However, it might just shatter him. With all the problems he had with May and the match between her and Dawn, if he learned about Misty's plight now, there was no telling what it would do to him. And in the end, he would be just in the same position as me, relatively powerless to do anything. Ignorance really sometimes was a Blissey.

"There is nothing you can do... but you know that already." I spun around, my heart threatening to leap to the very top of the Contest Hall and stumbled back a few steps in shock at the sight of a solemn-looking Mew floating right in front of me. Despite my unhealthy heartbeat, I managed a glare at the Legendary that had little to do with the near heart attack.

"Don't look at me for answers. I cannot see the future and even knowing everything wouldn't have made a difference. I am going to wish Dawn good luck now... then I'm off to Cerulean to extract your friend." My eyes widened at that and relief started to manifest again, as selfish as that may sound. Misty's potential safety was something I treasured far more than all the other lives out there at stake. "Yes, she still lives," Mew continued. "I would know otherwise, especially if it concerns one of you three." Then her gaze became piercing and I suddenly felt myself gulp under an invisible pressure. This little creature really could be quite intimidating if it wanted. "Do not tell anyone of this yet. Not until they have had their match. You cannot comprehend yet how important it is that this match takes place unhindered."

_Well, I might comprehend it, if someone told us something once in awhile_, I could only send after the Legendary in my mind, but she was already zipping away, leaving me alone with my thoughts and fears.

Whether or not she heard me I wasn't sure but Mew had one last thing to add, her voice echoing in my mind. *I'm not sure how long this will take. While I'm gone, watch over your friends, they are in perhaps even more danger than you understand yet. THAT is something you can do."

I stood for a minute longer, then finally started to continue on my way back to the infirmary. Back to Ako and some much needed support. I wasn't sure if I could tell her but I might have to or I would go crazy from keeping it all inside, from worrying about Misty and what was happening in the rest of Kanto while watching two of my best friends fight it out blissfully unaware but also with far more at stake than just to see who was the better Coordinator...

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Leaf)**

_Damn it, I'm too late._

Emperor had pushed hard after the earlier distraction but it was impossible to go at top speed with one wing damaged. All my Pokémon were tough, I knew that. They would gladly ignore their own peril to fulfill their given tasks. Under the circumstances it had really been the best I could have hoped for.

We had been halfway over Kanto by the time dawn broke and I had already known that I wasn't going to make it. From this high in the sky the distant signs of battle were easily picked up among several locations. To think they had this many resources already... Without wanting to sound self-important, I believe I had had the most clashes with Team Rocket forces in the last year. Yet, even I could not have suspected such a thing was possible.

Quietly, I sneaked past another group of black-clad soldiers – because that was what they were right now. Relief forces wouldn't be coming in time. Something had to have happened at HQ as well. I had had no time to look while passing through, but the assaults must have started somewhere around the point when I had been close to HQ. With Emperor in his condition, a healthy dragon should have caught up with us by the time we reached Cerulean.

But I had no time to spare a thought about this now. There was no resistance left in the city, nothing left to save. The attack was all but over at this point and it seemed Team Rocket had begun to round up survivors. I shuddered to think what they wanted with them but right now my sole concern was for Misty. The feeling hadn't gone away, merely increased to a suffocating intensity. That was actually a good thing. I might be too late to help this city but I wasn't too late to save Misty. Not yet.

_I was wrong. The danger I sensed wasn't because someone was after her. However, I doubt they are going to let such an opportunity pass._ Keeping to the roofs and the shadows as tightly wrapped around me as my minimal control allowed, I was once more grateful for Koga and Janine teaching me some of their craft. Fighting my way through all of them was out of the question. Even if I could, by the time it would take to do so, Misty would...

_I have to hurry. I am NOT losing her. This has just begun!_

Finally the Gym was coming in sight... or what was left of it. Biting back the renewed rage at the state of what had once been a beautiful city, I surveyed the area. The Gym was still standing, albeit badly damaged. Two soldiers were standing guard at the entrance and I could clearly hear the sounds of fighting. It was definitely far fiercer than the few, individual skirmishes still going on inside the city. No doubt there, this had to be Misty. She would fight it out until she drew her last breath.

Every moment of waiting was painful but I clamped down on the urge to just rush the guards. It was obvious that whatever odds Misty was facing inside, they had to be overwhelming in their enemies' favor. Enough so, that they could spare people for guard duty. Rushing in head-on held too many risks. One of them could notify those inside for example, to just name one problem. I needed the moment of surprise on my side. And I needed it where and when it mattered.

Then I saw it. Scattered rocks and other pieces on the edge of the roof. Waiting for a moment that the guards were looking the other way, I jumped up and on top of the Gym, quickly confirming my theory and hope. Part of the roof had been blown up and had mostly caved in. If I remembered the layout correctly this was just about the main pool area and the sounds of fighting I had heard came from directly below.

Ready to spring into action at a moment's notice, I peered over the edge and swallowed a curse. There was Misty, just as expected. Disheveled, bloody, clearly exhausted but with an expression of grim fury... facing down about half a dozen Rockets and their abominations making up about dozen. On Misty's side only her Gyarados, Starmie and Wailmer in the pool were still clinging to their last reserves of strength.

Slowly but steadily her attackers were advancing. Misty had nowhere to go, especially since she was obviously trying to shield the girl behind her. It had to be the one she had told me about. And that was clearly why she hadn't run yet. Misty might be stubborn but she wasn't so stupid not to see the hopelessness in this struggle.

However, now she was clearly prepared to make her last stand.

As if I would allow that!

Just as the leading Arcanine charged, I threw down my Pokéballs, released Zoroark, and followed my team down into the fray. They had needed no instructions clearly and the surprise attack had caught the Rockets completely off-guard, decimating almost half the force with quick but precise and powerful attacks. As strong and powerful as those modified Pokémon were, without anyone giving them commands their overly-augmented base instincts made them vulnerable.

I did not intend to give our enemies the time to regroup either. "Night Daze." Zoroark let loose an earth-shattering roar of fury and hammered two more of the opposing side's Pokémon clear across the pool and into the wall on the side and then right through it. Berserker and Hellfire each took out one more. In the meantime I had taken out three of the remaining five Rockets standing with several quick shuriken. The other two had recovered from the shock in time, however, and ordered their Pokémon to fall back a little.

I glanced back over my shoulder towards Misty, my heart breaking under the emotions I could clearly see all over her face and even more so in these beautiful eyes I had grown to love. There was relief but deep down it did nothing to take away the horror and loss she had already seen and experienced here. "Looks like I'm a bit late," I tried to joke but knew already it was pointless. Instead I turned back to the last of my opponents. "Sorry, guys, this one is off-limits. You want something from her, you have to go through me first."

I didn't quite expect to actually hear an answer, no less from that voice. "That can be arranged." My eyes narrowed as I saw the quite smug-looking figure of Domino emerge from the half-collapsed door on the other side.

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Ash)**

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the final of the first qualification round for the Harmony Cup is about to begin!"

In the last years I had gotten used to sitting in the audience and cheering on my companion at the time. At first it had been hard to deal with. I was used to being the one in the fight, not just watching them. Of course, the more I had watched Contests, the more I had learned to appreciate them. Both as a serious craft other than the path of a Trainer but also as inspiration and motivation for my own training.

"On the left side. From Petalburgh City, give a round of applause for this year's winner of the Sinnoh Grand Festival, May!"

Without even noticing it the restlessness I had felt in the beginning was gone and I would follow every Contest battle with interest. Today, however, was different. Different from the state of before as much as the state of the now. I was positively nervous, anxious and simply unable to decide what I should do, how I should react or whom I should even cheer for!

"And on the right side. The winner of this year's Kanto Grand Festival, Dawn!"

I had travelled with both of these girls and it had been them that had shown me this other path of bonding with Pokémon. That alone would have been enough to make this hard. However, this was hardly resolved by a "may the better one win". There was far more at stake here as they faced off on stage. Was it just me or was the tension in the air tangible? No one else seemed to notice...

In truth I still didn't know what to make of my talk with Dawn last night. I could understand her point now and yet it made little difference to my doubts about anything good coming from this situation. I had resolved not to fight her decision, however. Dawn could be quite stubborn when she had gotten something into her head. Not like Misty had been but my girlfriend clearly had her moments. And this was apparently one of them.

*There is something I need to find out today.* That's what she had said when I had asked her again what she intended to accomplish. As a fellow Trainer I could at least understand that. There were some things you could learn much easier through a battle. When two Trainers could connect like this, understanding came much easier. I had learned that many times, most recently with Paul and Leaf during the tournament.

Eventually I decided there was no point in making my head hurt by letting my thoughts run endless circles around the problem. I would have to see how it all turn out. Dawn might be right. Maybe they really had to do this after all. No, not maybe. I had to trust her. If anything, I could trust in Dawn and that's what I would do for now.

"It's the battle of two young Top Coordinators who have shown much promise in recent years. The time limit is five minutes, begin!"

"Naru! Burn Up!"

"Lopunny! Spotlight!"

It had been a close choice. In the end, Dawn had wanted to give Lopunny a chance to prove herself in a bigger single match. That wasn't the only reason, of course. Her prediction about May's strange Eevee had been right and since we didn't know what this one could really do, Lopunny as a fellow Normal type was about the most balanced response to whatever surprise May had in store for her.

I was surprised that no words were exchanged between the two girls. Obviously there was nothing more to talk about. It seemed in this one aspect they were already in harmony. Both wanted answers from this fight. Not that this was the sole reason. Both were too dedicated, too professional for that. They both wanted to win. Neither of them would surrender that for emotional satisfaction or even purposely use a Pokémon Battle for personal matters exclusively.

The beginning was almost as I had expected it, both carefully testing out the other. Lopunny took the offense without fully committing herself yet. Her attacks were deft and easily avoided, that Eevee showing the same kind of natural agility as she had against Christine. But Lopunny wasn't a big target. In fact she could easily rival or even surpass her opponent when it came to grace and nimbleness.

None of them could keep this up for long. With the short time limit of a Contest battle, there was only so much time for a _warm up_. And about half a minute after the start of the match, the intensity picked up when the two Pokémon had once more barely passed each other by. Lopunny spun in mid-motion and bounced upward, continuing the spin towards Naru with a fast kick. The Eevee pushed back from the ground, flipped over and immediately charged into what looked like a Take Down attempt.

I knew it. I hadn't been sure yesterday whether or not I had seen it right. But there definitely were traces of elemental power in that Take Down, much like a faint version of Flare Blitz or in this case Volt Tackle. Too bad for May that Lopunny was used to sparring with Pikachu. The problem with that technique was that once started it was very hard, if not impossible to stop. So when Lopunny recovered faster from her miss than Naru could reach her, May's Pokémon was wide open for the Focus Punch that followed...

Or that should have been the case.

Just before Lopunny could make contact with her opponent, Naru suddenly began to glow. _An evolution?! No that isn't it_, I discarded the thought immediately. The light was similar but not quite the same. I had only a moment to wonder before I got my answer.

I hadn't expected to be awed in the same way as the audience. After all that I had experienced, all the training that Dawn and I had gone through, I didn't think I could be stumped like this. Surprised, yes, I certainly had hoped to be positively surprised. But not completely and utterly shocked speechless.

What the hell just happened?

It took me a long moment to fully register the next few seconds as my thought process had been rather locked on the impossible sight of a Jolteon emerging from the light that had enveloped Naru. It was impossible. Even if it was an evolution, how did that work? Didn't you need an Elemental Stone to get a Jolteon?

Dawn and Lopunny were obviously as baffled as the rest of us and Naru – I assumed it was her – had made excellent use of the new form. Lopunny's attack had slipped for but a moment in the face of that new development and the heightened speed from a Jolteon had allowed Naru to slip past the Focus Punch and instead struck her opponent with a powerful Thunderbolt that had even Lopunny, used to Electric attacks for the most part, rather rattled.

Considering May's barely concealed delight, I had this bad feeling that she wasn't quite done with her surprises. As if this wasn't enough already! I could still not understand what exactly had happened. There was only one thing I understood: This definitely wasn't a trick or something illegal. Security measures were extra strong these days and May wouldn't do something against the rules anyway.

Dawn would be in for a tough battle, that was for sure.

END 02-09a, click next to continue...


	30. 0209b: The Point of No Return, Part 1

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 9

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Beta

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

I snarled at the smug voice. The relief of seeing Leaf here quickly evaporated under a surge of rage. There was no doubt in my mind that this woman was the one that had been leading the attack, the one responsible for bringing all this destruction upon us.

Taking a step forward, I found my forward motion blocked by a slender but insistent arm belonging to my girlfriend. I glowered at her but she just shook her head and I relented... for now. That didn't mean I could just release the anger burning inside me. "What is the point in all this?! What do you gain from attacking Cerluean?!" I half-yelled, half-cried, by this point I wasn't sure if the tears came from all the smoke in the air or from my suffering heart, probably both. I didn't care. I didn't even really care for the answer but I still wanted to know.

Domino just laughed and for a moment it seemed like she would completely ignore the question. However, then her gaze turned condescending. "Gain? From this rabble? Nothing really. It was just the most convenient target available for maximum effect."

I wished I hadn't asked. Stumbling back, I was torn between despairing in shock and totally giving into the rage. Nothing? Convenient? So there wasn't even any purpose behind this... atrocity? All this destruction and death... just to make an example? It was too much. My heart couldn't bear it. All I wanted... needed right now was to vent. Somehow, something or someone had to pay for all this. I...

"Go, Dark Sage..." A Shiftry popped out of the Pokéball Leaf had thrown. I had never seen her use one before but that didn't matter. This bitch was mine now... "Explosion!"

Eyes widening, I had no time to voice my displeasure when Leaf pulled me back...

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**Twinheart Island (Naru)**

It was quite an amazing feeling. As much as I still had my concerns about people seeing me that shouldn't – although it seemed Team Rocket had more important matters to attend to at the moment –, I couldn't deny the extraordinary thrill that came with showing my abilities here. In fact I was really starting to like it and I wondered why.

This was something I had decided to do for May who had given me a reason to live and keep on hoping – a hope that was already paying off with now three of my lost sisters found already. And because of that I was resolved to do my best. That was all there was to it, wasn't it?

We didn't give our opponents time to recover. That Lopunny was easily as nimble as myself, if not more so. And it seemed both her and her Trainer were able to shake off the surprise far quicker than I would have thought possible. My next Thunderbolt was barely evaded. At the same time I heard May call out the predesigned order and I jumped after Lopunny, using my heightened speed to get in close for a Discharge before fluently switching to my Vaporeon form and immediately used a Water Pulse into the electricity emitted. Lopunny had managed to twist away and would have just gotten out of the immediate area of effect but the Water Pulse conducted the electricity and while it was only a glancing blow in the end, the shock must have at least stung. My opponent was clearly still trying to recover from the first Thunderbolt as well, which severely hampered her movement.

May knew that and had me press the attack again. This time I used a simple series of three Water Gun shots and immediately froze them over with Blizzard after shifting to Glaceon. Lopunny stumbled back under the assault but managed to slap away two of the frozen projectiles and suddenly I had to dodge my own attack, flowing back into my base form without a command.

In a brief moment of respite I once again wondered about the thrill I was experience and finally realized with a bit of a start that I was... having fun. It didn't even matter anymore that people saw me and my abilities. In fact, it felt good to use them in this way. For a long time I had loathed my cursed body, cursed the experiments that had robbed me of a normal life – or so I had believed. Until I met May. She had not only taken me in and provided me with support despite my distrust, she had also shown me that what I could do wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Certainly our captors had clearly intended for these skills to be used for their own, evil devices but now I was free and they were mine to use, to find a purpose for them.

Doing this – presenting my skills here on this stage – wasn't evil, it didn't hurt anyone. In fact people were in awe. Maybe I had just found a good purpose after all.

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**(May)**

Things were going as planned. It had been a great boon that I hadn't been forced to reveal Naru's ability earlier in the Contest. Dawn was not an opponent to be trifled with. Her quick adaption to the situation showed that she was easily as much an expert on that field as Ash was. Had I given her even a glimpse of what Naru could do, I would have certainly experienced some sort of unexpected counter by now.

Since that wasn't the case, Dawn was forced on the defense for a moment, yet even then she remained dangerous. Despite having executed both combinations perfectly, Lopunny had taken little damage and the points I scored were minimal, regardless of the shocking effect from Naru's transformation... Well, okay, it didn't really count. The judges did know. I had to reveal this to the officials or fear possible disqualification. I was thankful that Cynthia had treated the matter as discreetly as possible at least.

What was even more disconcerting, even though I had been prepared for it, was Dawn's almost complete lack of commands. I could do that with Blaziken but not to that scary degree. Naru and I didn't have that much time together. Especially not for training. Admittedly we were close, considering that we had only started serious training together a little while ago, but for now we still needed commands for the most part.

Dawn wouldn't be done in that easily and the more time went by, the more likely it was for her to develop a counterstrategy. I couldn't leave her time to think. I had to press my advantage now. There was no time to even think about the other aspect of our fight. Not that I really planned on that. Frankly, I wasn't sure what or even if this was going to change anything, but the feeling remained that the only resolution we could find would be through this confrontation. That was enough for me. And besides... I did not intend to lose. Even if it could mean the difference between finding acceptance or refusal.

After I called out the next code signal, Naru shifted to Flareon and immediately jumped into a Flame Charge. Lopunny jumped up but that was exactly what we wanted as Naru ran a circle and set off a devastating row of Lava Plumes. Once more Dawn showed her quick reaction though when Lopunny froze the converging pillars of fire with a spinning Ice Beam.

My eyes widened when it didn't stop there. Instead Lopunny smashed three of the four pillars right away, before pushing off the last with enough force to break it as well. Naru had to dodge quickly and I could see Lopunny already trying to go for her next attack. "Use Sunny Day, then D1!" I quickly called out and that was a good thing because I was totally not expecting the Water Pulse rushing for Naru.

Instead of finding its mark on a Fire Pokémon though, the attack almost harmlessly dissipated on Umbreon's strong defense, further weakened by the Sunny Day effect. This left us with the perfect groundwork for Naru to leap in, intend on scoring a hard hit with Payback.

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**(Dawn)**

I admit I nearly lost total control of this battle. I had expected many things but not quite something like this. The first time had been a tremendous shock but at that point I had figured it was some kind of weird evolution that hadn't been discovered yet. When Naru had changed again, it nearly cost me the match and I had to thank Lopunny's instincts. At that point I really had been glad I hadn't used Prinplup after all. That conducted Discharge was quite powerful, I had felt the charge even from my position.

This time we weren't quite so well off. I knew it immediately. Lopunny had committed herself a little too far with the last series of attacks. That Water Pulse was still hard for her to pull off and it took her a small but significant time to recover. There was no way she could avoid the counter like that.

And so we prepared ourselves for taking the damage and transforming the momentum into a counter of our own. Through my connection with Lopunny I could feel the pain from the hard hit. However, she endured and spun with the attack while grabbing onto the now-Umbreon with her ears and swinging her opponent into a Circle Throw towards the ground.

Unfortunately that didn't go over quite as planned when Naru recovered in mid fall, rolling to a relatively safe stop upon impact and immediately using the light from Sunny Day for a quick, recharging Moonlight. May grinned at me and I chastened myself for not thinking about it. May had actually told us that she had been personally training with Maylene. Trying to combat her with Fighting-type moves was almost a wasted effort, which really reduced our options.

I had to find some way to turn the tide. There had to be some kind of pattern to these changes. It didn't even matter anymore how this was possible. I needed to know if May's Eevee really was able to freely change between any form. Because if that was the case, I could have thought of a few more effective combinations that May should have been able to use.

Glancing to the side, I realized that little by little she had amassed a decent point advantage. Yet, it wasn't enough that a comeback was impossible. In fact one good counter should get us back into the match. The time limit made this tricky, yet I urged Lopunny to play it safe for now. We still had a bit to go and so far neither of us had quite gone to our limit.

However, only then would we truly have the fight we needed. Until now it was mostly tactic. Until Lopunny and I found our own grasp on this battle, it couldn't quite become what May and I both hoped for.

Forcing my own mind to settle down and ignore the rising impatience, I began to analyze my opponent's style once more, positive in my intuition that there was some kind of trick or flaw to exploit that would set us at least even again.

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**(Lopunny)**

The frustration was hard to suppress. I hadn't done a single match like this in a long time. Definitely not on this level and outside of training. Pride and pressure had been equally present when Dawn had told me I would be fighting today. I had not expected it, to be honest. We were all rather equally prepared for it, of course, but still...

Knowing I was going in a battle against an opponent with some unknown tricks was nothing new, that happened all the time in a competition. This was something completely different. And now that annoying Eevee had switched strategies again from a concentrated offensive to a more defensive style. It had begun with a switch to Leafeon, which we had been half-expecting but the speed burst provided by Sunny Day was still startling and I had no time to even try and go for an Ice attack before a Solarbeam came flying at me right away. Instead I bounced it back with Mirror Coat, only to find an empty space and once more my opponent was elsewhere. Behind and above actually I realized a moment before the Leaf Blade nearly cut my ears off.

It was only as I hopped away quickly until I realized she had been using Sword Dance while she was evading! I flung an Ice Beam at her but she was already done with her second charge and leaped away before once again changing into the Umbreon form.

The next bit was utterly ridiculous. The changes were extremely fast and Naru made use of every one of them to enhance herself. Switching back and forth several times between Umbreon, Leafeon and even her basic Eevee form, a series of Sword Dances, Work Ups and Double Teams quickly made her a very dangerous force independent of which form was currently used. All this was done in less than half a minute and ended in her Vaporeon form, adding some extra defense power with Acid Armor.

Warily I shifted my stance into an even more guarded one. The offense would continue soon and now it would be even more radical. I hadn't felt so challenged in a long time outside of sparring with Pikachu... and that was kind of exhilarating. Dawn was counting on me. So rather than giving into the frustration, I saw this more as an opportunity to prove myself. Prinplup was watching with everyone else backstage. I couldn't disappoint them either.

As expected the assault came almost immediately after Jolteon once more appeared on the stage. The Double Kick hurt like hell after I barely dodged a furious Thunder. For several more and long agonizing moments I could do nothing else than to stay in the match, fast-chaining Agility of my own, so that I could at least keep up and not get ultimately slaughtered. This had now officially entered a stage that we had actually tried to avoid so far for fear that even the judges – save for Cynthia – wouldn't be able to follow anymore.

There was no choice now. The fight was entering the critical stage and I didn't even have time to think of a way to resolve it. That was when I felt a more direct thought pass through my bond with Dawn and had to hide a grin. As usual my trust in her was not misplaced because it seemed she had figured out a crucial detail about that Eevee's shifting ability. Now, all we needed to do was wait for the right moment.

That moment came soon enough. May clearly feared my mastery with the Ice Beam and she also seemed to avoid having Naru take an Espeon form – and I didn't doubt that she could. Both of these factors played a major role. A well-timed Ice Beam forced Naru from her base state into the Glaceon form once more. Glaceon and Flareon were the most resistant and either would have worked for Dawn's idea. But Glaceon was actually the most perfect to prove her hypothesis.

Coming in high with a Jump Kick, I charged one fist with a Fire Punch. It was clearly visible and as such May would need to react. A calculated maneuver but if she really was hesitant to use an Espeon form because of Dawn's psychic abilities, then...

There! As expected another change was ordered and judging by the shape emerging from the brief flash of light, Dawn's observation had been spot on. Not even pulling through with the Jump Kick, I used my momentum instead to lash out... with the hand hidden behind my back, slamming the concealed Thunder Punch into Naru's Vaporeon form.

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**(May)**

The impact of Lopunny's small fist lashing out with such unexpected force was probably heard in every edge of the arena at least. I winced hard at the sight and sound of it and was momentarily struck into total inaction when the leading Fire Punch was delivered almost like an afterthought as well, lifting Naru off the ground as well when she flew back to the edge of the stage. You would never expect it from a Pokémon like that, but Lopunny definitely was a dedicated fighter. In fact, she had everything that a close combat specialist needed. Not necessarily the brute force. But her nimbleness and quick reaction gave her an extraordinary momentum for those punches and kicks. And that wasn't everything. Combined with several elemental attacks under her belt, Dawn's Pokémon was a hard to handle all-rounder.

The earlier status enhancements were really the only thing that saved Naru from a clear knockout, but she had taken quite a bit damage and that one precise counter had been a huge blow to my points. With just one maneuver, Dawn had all but equaled the score.

It was a blow that didn't just physically hurt. I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. I knew what happened, of course, but I had never expected that she would figure out Naru's rhythm this fast. It was the one flaw in this special ability. She had no free choice over which form to take. Only from her base state a transformation to any of her evolutionary states was possible. Shifting from another form was only ever possible for two possible choices. And Dawn had known that I was trying to avoid using Espeon.

I sighed deeply. She really was amazing and I think I had just fallen in love even more. However, my chances to win this match now had drastically fallen and with that my chances to prove myself to them. From now on, Dawn would be ready for the changes and far more prepared. It was impossible after all. What had I expected to achieve anyway? Even if I had won... Would a victory based on a surprise tactic really prove anything?

"I hope you aren't giving up already, because... I am having a lot of fun."

The words startled me out of the frustration and resignation that had begun to creep into my heart. Fun? Yes. Yes! I was having a lot of fun, too! In fact I had been so immersed in the match that up until this moment I hadn't even thought about that other aspect that had been at stake. The more and more intense the match had become, the more I had started to feel a burning warmth in me. And it wasn't just fueled by my own desire to win. Small at first but now steadily growing larger I experienced Dawn's own feelings, her dedication and will and...

Yes, I did understand now. I think I finally did understand what it was that Dawn had been trying to do and if not for the seriousness of the situation I would have almost cried from the realization. Never before had I felt closer to one of the two people I had grown to love and it was an incredible feeling. Something I shouldn't shy away from. Something I shouldn't subconsciously run from. Because that was what I had been doing. All this time, despite what I had done or said, deep down I had never quite _believed_ that I had a real chance with them.

And that was what Dawn had wanted. It was amazing that she could see what I had even denied myself. It wasn't exactly an acceptance and neither a refusal. It was more a challenge to be honest with myself. Honest with my feelings. To not give up before it had even begun.

A slow smile slipped on my face and I balled one hand to a fist. "I would never dream of it! Naru, shift A4!"

As if only waiting for it, Naru shook her head to clear away the last effects from the hard hit and reverted back to her Eevee state. And that was all we needed right now. Our last trump card that would be the most effective if a match had gone on for awhile. Giving up her ability to shift, Naru could empower herself with some of the attributes of her evolution stages. The more she had used one, the stronger the enhancement would be.

The last minute was just starting when Naru jumped forward at dizzying speed before I could even give the command. In fact, it was entirely unnecessary as the opening Water Pulse was accompanied by Razor Leaf. Because at this moment I realized that Naru and I had achieved a complete harmony. There was no need any more for words. She knew instinctively what I wanted, dashing between the rocks when Lopunny countered the dual attack by jumping over the Water Pulse and freezing the leaves, flawlessly aiming the beam back at Naru.

Seeing as she couldn't hit Naru between the rocks, Lopunny used the Ice Beam as a propulsion to close the distance and the two of them began a dance of exchanged attacks being dodged. Lopunny showed that she could use all three elemental punches in conjunction but Naru had her own elemental combos to use, drawing attacks from her evolutionary states that you would otherwise never see from an Eevee.

It was exhilarating. I had never felt so good in any match before. This was a duel at eye level. I had no reason to feel inferior or unwanted or even ashamed of what I was feeling. Yes, I loved them both. My heart had been long made up and it was time that I finally seized this feeling and made it a reality. I did not want a rejection. I wanted to be able to experience these feelings for real, to give them all that I had inside me. And yes, I wanted them to love me as well. There was no point in going into a battle – whether a physical or emotional one, if you weren't convinced that you could win. That was something Ash had taught me... had taught both us. And as such it was the one thing that above everything else connected us.

Dawn was grinning at me, too. It was a challenging one, but also one full of warmth and understanding. And it wasn't just her. I could feel something... someone else. In the background, hesitant yet but there. I could feel Ash and it made me feel so unbelievable happy. It was more progress than what I could ever have hoped for. There was a chance now. A chance I intended to seize. There was really nothing to be ashamed of. My love for them was honest and I should be proud of it!

"Hey, Dawn! Ready to be defeated?" I called out, never leaving my eyes off our two Pokémon engaged in a dangerous dance that seemed to be as much fun to them as it was to us. But fun could only go this far. I had found my final resolve and motivation. Now I intended to win!

"Let's see you try!" Dawn called back with a happy laugh but as much determination and seriousness as I felt right now.

Thirty seconds to go. This last exchange would decide everything.

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**(Dawn)**

Finally! I had almost given up hope that I could reach her. It wasn't like I had ever doubted the sincerity of May's feelings. No, those had been clear enough when she had made her confession. What I had needed to find out was her resolve. One would think actually confessing in this situation, to two people already in a steady relationship was enough proof for her resolve. And that is what I had believed at first as well.

The day afterwards, however, I had started to see more and more signs of inner resignation. And that just wouldn't do. If I were to agree to this, it had to mean something. Accepting May's confession and trying to work something out while she herself didn't believe in her own chances, was a futile and wasted effort. It would crumble easily against the strength of the bond between Ash and I. The only way this could work was if all of us went into this as equals on all fronts.

_I wonder if this is how Ash felt when he fought Leaf?_ Of course, the kind of connection that existed then was definitely different. There was no deeper romantic interest from either side, probably more like a sibling bond than anything else. However, the strength and intensity with which I could feel May now was astounding. My fight with Zoey had nothing on this. I could feel her strong feelings and I could also feel that she had found the resolve to see things through. No hesitation. No fear. Just... love.

Reaching out for Ash, I drew him in as well. He needed to experience, needed to understand this. I knew he had his misgivings still, I could even understand them. However, this was a decision that couldn't be made rational. It had to be made by the heart. And for that, Ash too, just like May now, had to open himself to the possibility.

That was all the attention I could spare before May's recovered determination demanded every concentration, every bit of skill I possessed. Giving myself completely into the flow of the battle, I did not only merge completely with Lopunny, but also with May and through her to some degree with her own Pokémon. And the same went for them. In this way the furious exchange of attacks looked certainly spectacular and awesome but it was almost impossible now for one of us to surprise the other. As much as Lopunny knew my intentions without a word, May would as well. And the same applied for me. I didn't even need to actively apply mental power to instinctively know what she was planning.

Of course, on this level, with this level of speed, even knowing made it impossible to evade some attacks. Naru was really a fearsome opponent like this, wielding power from several elements at once. In fact she was even a little more versatile like this than Lopunny herself. The special training of the last month was really paying off though. Not only Mirror Coat was proving invaluable but picking up the dual enhancement for elemental punches that Ash had trained with some of his Pokémon was now both a great asset to both offense and defense.

Burning away another close-range Razor Leaf attack with a Fire Punch, Lopunny managed to land a Drain Punch in retaliation, only for our opponent to once more surprise us when Naru countered with a Double Kick, even while being pushed away. It seemed anything was possible with this one. I had long-given up on treating this Eevee like any other of her species. Normal rules didn't apply. And it seemed that went for usual physical limitations as well. But should I really be surprised to see a Fighting-type move from someone that had trained with Maylene? Probably not.

Both Pokémon pushed apart but immediately were ready for the next assault when Solarbeam met Ice Beam in an explosion of power and color. Immediately Lopunny bounced upwards as we had sensed right away again that Naru had used the flash and the current terrain of soft ground we were fighting on to quickly Dig with startling speed. In fact Naru emerged with such momentum, that the retaliation Focus Blast missed by several feet.

Then I felt a sudden tug at my mental senses and my eyes widened, forcing me to quickly react when an enormous blast of psychic energy rushed for Lopunny hanging in midair. After all these status enhancements Stored Power had become a fearsome attack.

It was risky at this point since we had not completely perfected it but evasion was almost impossible and Naru had so much momentum, that alone would overwhelm any other move in our repertoire. Not hesitating a moment, Lopunny once more fired off an Ice Beam. It was useless against the incoming attack, of course, but neutralization had never been the purpose. In fact Lopunny didn't even try to push against it, instead using the impact with the psychic blast to propel herself even further upwards, launching once more into a spin. This really took almost all of our last strength. The intensity was starting to pull on our reserves. This would be the decisive moment.

Faster and faster Lopunny spun even as the Stored Power beam closed in, swallowing and pushing back the Ice Beam. Yet all this time a thin layer had started to build around her. Much like Floatzel's Ice Aqua Jet or Prinplup's new variation. This one was far less dense and it wouldn't really serve as much of a barrier either. Yet, after all the ground work the Ice Beam had done, it was enough to ride the rest of the incoming attack almost to the top of the hall. Then, as the psychic energy faded, Lopunny curved back to come rushing down on her opponent. It was far less elegant or controlled as the moves of the other two. It was pure momentum and propulsion force, hence the simple but effective name I liked to give it. Ice Missile.

May made no move to have Naru get away, however. Instead her Eevee picked up speed herself and launched herself into a Take Down attempt even as Lopunny rushed closer in a curve that would eventually bring her parallel to the ground and right into Naru's path. Then flames erupted once more around Naru, much like a Flare Blitz but not quite the same. And there were sparks of electricity too. It was a much greater effect than the one in the beginning of the match.

In response Lopunny increased her spin before, just as she curved in for the ground, forcing the last bit of her energy outward to reinforce her own attack, making it look much like a Giga Impact.

Time slowed down as the two Pokémon closed in on each other, both fiercely determined to defeat the other. Then the moment literally exploded as the attacks clashed with such power I was forced back several steps from the backlash. For several moments it was impossible to see anything and so I could only wait anxiously for the outcome.

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

"What were you thinking!" I yelled as we weaved between the ruins of buildings, either burning or already lost beyond hope. I couldn't believe we were running away. I couldn't believe we were letting the bastards get away with what they did! Being out here only further reminded me of the reason for my anger. Just one look was enough to set my heart boiling. It was either that or giving into grief and despair and I was not ready for that yet. Not until there still was something left to do.

Leaf wasn't impressed by my outburst however, and she needed no words to bring her answer across. Just a look over her shoulder at the unconscious Aisha on Zoroark's back. It was enough to drain my fury. Not completely but enough so to make me flush at my foolishness. In my grief and anger I had almost forgotten about her. Had we stayed and fought, there was no telling how long it would have taken and backup surely would have arrived. Then all of us would have been lost, including poor Aisha who really had nothing to do with any of this. If she had not been with me... No, if she had not been with me, she might have been caught completely unaware like so many others. Perhaps even like her family...

"Sorry," I mumbled, feeling more and more foolish. Unfortunately with my single-minded focus gone, the reality of the situation all around us became unavoidable once more. Leaf didn't say anything. Instead she simply stopped and pulled me into a hug and I gratefully melted into the contact. I had never believed she was upset about my outburst. Who would in a situation like this? Unfortunately I also remembered how our last call ended. She had been right to worry all along and I had not fully believed her. "Thank you for coming."

The other girl shook her head. "I wish I could have been here sooner but I got delayed as well." So I had been right. Something more had happened after the call had been cut off. And still she had made it in time, at least for Aisha and myself. "I'm just glad you were alright. I don't even want to think about it if I had been just a little later. Still..." She fell silent again and looked around at the burning and smoking ruins of my home.

So much lost. And it wasn't just the city. How many had died today? How much lives had been senselessly lost here today? I couldn't fathom how someone could be so callous to commit such an act. I had not wanted to believe that a notorious band of criminals could be up to something of this magnitude. They were evil, yes. But there was a big gap in the definition of evilness between stealing Pokémon and being ready to destroy whole cities and kill innocent lives.

It was all so... unreal.

"We should get out of here," Leaf said. "They've got pretty much everything under control and are already rounding up survivors. If we get surrounded, we won't have anywhere to escape." She looked up at the sky where some Pokémon were still circling. Getting out through the air was equally as problematic and I doubted Leaf had a Pokémon with her that could carry all three of us anyway.

Then her words fully registered and my head snapped back to look at her. "Wait! What did you mean rounding up survivors? What are they going to do with them?" Wasn't this enough? What point was there to gather those that had survived the attack? Did they want them as hostages or something to put pressure on the League? But Domino had just said there was no greater purpose for choosing Cerulean and somehow I got the impression she had no reason to lie about that either...

The young Master finally met my gaze with a guarded one of her. Reluctant and... No. No, no, no. I refused to believe that. Even more, I refused to let that happen. Already so much had been lost and there had been nothing I could do. In the end, if not for Leaf's timely intervention, Aisha and I would have both been dead already. I was the Gym Leader of Cerulean and yet so far I had been able to do nothing for the people of my city.

Before I could make an argument, Leaf already sighed in defeat. "I know what you are thinking and I guess whatever I say won't stop you." She turned to Zoroark and nodded at him. "Can you get the girl out and wait for us?" The fox-like Pokémon nodded solemnly, although clearly reluctant to leave us alone. Finally though he turned and dashed away.

"You realize that if we do this, we will likely be the ones to end up dead?" I nodded quietly, very much aware of the possibility. I would have told her to escape along with Aisha but also knew that she would never do that. Just like I wouldn't either. "Just checking." Then she grinned. "Fine with me though. I couldn't stomach leaving without getting at least a small victory out of this."

With that we were very much in agreement.

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**(Ash)**

When the smoke cleared, both Lopunny and Naru were clearly worse for wear. In fact, both were barely keeping themselves on their knees and it didn't look like they would be able to go on even a moment longer. Thankfully that wasn't necessary either.

"Um... girls. The time is over," Lilian said a little nervous from all the charged tension in the air. That snapped them both out of their battle link and two heads swiveled to the board in perfect synchrony. "It has been for about a minute now." I had to bite back a chuckle at their expressions of embarrassment, but allowed myself a grin that was equal parts good-natured amusement and relief. I didn't blame them for what had happened. The battle connection had been so strong, had I not been sitting here, I would have missed it. In fact I almost did after Dawn pulled me in as well. No one had had the heart to interrupt them either.

"So, um... who won?" May finally asked and that was something I liked to know as well since the board had not shown a winner yet and from here it looked like their points were about equal. If there was a difference it was so miniscule I couldn't make it out.

"Well, you see, that's the problem. By the time the match was officially over your points were... exactly the same. In other words... it's a tie."

No way! I mean, sure, I would have been hard-pressed to say myself who was better. But still, there had to be a winner, right? Or maybe...

"Normally in such a case," Cynthia interjected, standing up from her place, "the rules would require a two minute overtime. However, with your Pokémon in this shape, it would hardly be fair. So either we have to wait a bit or you'll have to make an exchange..."

"No," Dawn cut in then, kneeling by Lopunny's side while May was checking up on her own Pokémon. I closed my eyes, already knowing what she was going to say and I had to agree with her. "There is no need. Even continuing, our abilities right now are about equal. A victory either way would not prove anything." Dawn had found her answer. Perhaps we all had. I could no longer deny it either. Not after experiencing the honesty that was flowing all through the brief link we shared right now. The strength of emotion. For but a moment I had felt what Dawn felt and even more importantly... It had felt right.

Frankly I still wasn't sure if I believed all that metaphorical stuff and Dawn's belief that something was missing from our relationship. That whole analogy had something terribly negative. We would need to talk this over later, however, all three of us then.

"There is no problem," I called out, interrupting Mister Contesta's protest that the Contest needed a winner after all. Standing up from my seat near the stairs, I walked down to the stage. "This round is for one of my partners for the Harmony Cup after all. It is already decided that Dawn will accompany me, no matter what. And after this spectacular match, I would be a fool not to want May at my side as well. As such, no matter the outcome, the end result would be the same." I held both their gazes for a long moment. May's hesitant but hopeful expression and Dawn's soft smile of relief, then glanced back to Cynthia and the other judges.

Finally the blonde Grand Champion sighed and looked towards her fellow judges who hesitantly nodded. "Very well. In that case, we shall make the following ruling. The winners of the first qualification round to the Harmony Cup, and now forming an official team with last year's Sinnoh League Champion Ash Ketchum, are both May and Dawn! Everyone, give these two fantastic Coordinators a big round of applause." And everyone did, the Contest Hall erupting into a thunderous cheer.

At this point none of us knew or could begin to suspect, however, what was already happening all around us.

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**Team Rocket Headquarter (Giovanni)**

"Sir, Squads Beta and Gamma report mounting casualties and request permission to withdraw."

That one didn't surprise me. Beta and Gamma had the hardest part in this, concentrated on the area just south of our main target, the hotspot where the League had no doubt expected a contact. Celadon, Saffron and Vermillion were the most heavily guarded. No, I was in fact very pleased with how well my plan had worked out until now. To think we were able to hold all positions for so long was a huge success and proved clearly that my forces were already vastly superior to whatever the League could employ. They were too weak; too concerned with the wellbeing of everyone and that would be their downfall.

"What is the status of the other squads?"

"Delta and Epsilon are holding and keeping the attention on themselves." These two were more widespread and tasked with hassling the defense from Viridian and Pewter mostly. Compared to the other two, their numbers were smaller but they also had less resistance to expect.

"Ypsilon Squad reports successful infiltration and beginning of the operation any moment. Omega..." There was a pause before the operator continued. "Omega just reported mission success." I allowed myself a very pleased grin at that. Even if Ypsilon somehow failed in their mission, this was already far better than I had dared hoped for.

"And Alpha Squad?"

Again there was a pause, the reply coming a little hesitant. "Agent Tulip reports that the special targets have managed to escape and avoided detection so far. However, Cerulean is otherwise fully under our control. No further resistance has been reported." I nodded, indicating that I wasn't upset by the news. Disappointed a little, but then again, that girl was a crafty one. Despite being inconvenienced on her way, she had still made it to the city. I had to give her credit for being a strong opponent despite her age.

"Tell all regular squads to initiate retreat. Our objective is done, there is no point for further wasting resources." Now all that remained was to see how Ypsilon did with the children. Perhaps there was even something that could be done from here to give them an edge.

"Set up the recording and prepare the region-wide transmission. It is time we let everyone understand exactly how serious we are."

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**(Narrator)**

The Contest Hall at Twinheart is still filled to the brink. A nervous energy has caught the spectators that just a little while ago had still been spellbound by the heated battle between Dawn and May and its surprising outcome. Yet now people are unsure what to do, talking among themselves in hushed tones. Security personnel is stationed in several locations around the hall, mostly the exits, as if to make sure no one can leave.

It is into this nervous atmosphere, that the large screen, previously used to display the results and points of the battles flickered to life and the image of a heavy-set man in a red business suit appeared. People began to murmur in confusion even as the man began to speak.

"Citizens of Kanto and all other regions, some of you may know me but for everyone else let me introduce myself. I am Giovanni, leader of an organization called Team Rocket, an organization that has been labeled criminal but which's true purpose has so far been kept from the public view. That time is now over. As of this morning Team Rocket formally declares war on the Pokémon League."

On the screen images appeared that are obviously taken directly from Cerulean City in the midst of the attack. The images show Team Rocket's warped Pokémon assaulting the city and wrecking havoc. The murmur starts to die down into stunned shock and disbelief.

"I know what you may think. However, this war is not a petty grasp for power, it is a holy and righteous rebellion. A rebellion against those that have oppressed and betrayed the true destiny of mankind. Yes, I speak about the so-called Pokémon League and even more so I speak of Pokémon themselves. You, my fellow humans have been lied to for as long as anyone can remember and any history book could chronicle. From the very beginning mankind was supposed to be the dominant species on this planet. Our evolution was meant to be the highest form of existence and nature was supposed to serve our needs. However, the creatures we now know as Pokémon twisted the very natural order to receive the power they now have so that they could usurp our place. They are spiteful and evil creatures that know only the lust for battle."

The images now switch to show Team Rocket's Pokémon attacking Cerulean's defenders. Gasps of horror echoed through the hall when some are brutally torn apart or in any other way gruesomely assaulted by the creatures. No actual Team Rocket member has so far been shown in any of the scenes.

"Yet, instead of rallying against this travesty of the natural order, the Pokémon League was established to... live together in harmony with those that stole our rightful place. And it is not just that. Have you ever wondered why we have such a high level of technology, such an advanced knowledge about science and many other things and yet so few people really profit from it? All this is the League's doing and their policy of so-called 'balance'. I have watched this oppression for a long time, but not any longer."

At this point the image switches back to Giovanni, now standing with one fist balled, striking an impressive image of strength and conviction.

"I urge all of you to think carefully what you believe is best for us. Should we always live in fear of the power of Pokémon, engaging in false pretenses of friendship between our races just so that we can feel a little safer? If you do not believe this is the right path either, then I welcome every city, every individual person to join me in this war against our oppressors, so that mankind may rise to the glory it deserves! If, however, you chose to side with those that have condemned us to this fate, then you may share the same fate as Cerulean City has this day."

For one last time the image switched and showed a frontal view of all of Cerulean City, burning and laid to waste, some Pokémon still circling above it.

"I await your decision, Ladies and Gentlemen. A good day."

"What a shocking announcement! Giovanni has made his move and now the world knows about it. In the wake of the grand battle between Dawn and May, everyone is left stunned. How will the world react to the events and the truths that Giovanni has revealed? Yet, this day is not over. Not for our heroes at least..."

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**Maia's Prophecy**

**A blank screen appears for over two minutes.**

**Maia: *rushing into the screen panting* Hey! No one said anything about this! It was supposed to be one episode! I am not prepared yet.**

**MysticMew: *appears slightly out of breath as well* And whose fault is that?**

**Maia: Yours?**

**MysticMew: *glares* I would think not.**

**Maia: Okay, okay, we are both at fault, alright?**

**MysticMew: *sighs* Fine, I have no energy left to argue.**

**Maia: Great... Well, then...**

**The screen turns black again.**

**Overhead Voice: Sorry, the time for this segment is already up.**

**Maia: WHAT?!**

**MysticMew: Hold out for the real final episode of this arc some time very soon, depending on our beta.**

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**Author's Notes**

Alright, I keep this short and leave any end of arc notes for next episode and the epilogue. Yes, there will be one. A short thing, probably one scene for every major character.

This part was actually the easier one. At first I wasn't sure how to write the battle, I admit but I hope it turned out alright, considering how much I have been trying to work up to it. Part of me still thinks it could have been better but then this whole thing would have gotten EVEN larger. The issue remains that writing Contest battles with the kind of battle dynamics I have developed over the course of the story is difficult. Contest battles are timed and they are to a big degree presentation. So if the Pokémon are too fast for even the judges to follow, then you have a problem.

That aside, I still hope everyone was satisfied with the battle. There is in fact preciously little more I can say about this segment and part of what once was a single episode. ^_^ This part begins to set the general theme for the third arc. It is getting progressively darker and you should expect it to stay like this. The time for normal tournaments, battles and other sort of comparable lighthearted confrontations is now officially over.

The next episode will be up quickly, but please don't forget to review anyway. There was a huge, overwhelming response after 2-7 but it has dwindled again after 2-8. I hope it isn't necessary to excessively beg for it to get feedback. It happens to much for other stories and I refuse to do it anymore from this point forward. Any kind of feedback is always appreciated (read: feedback; flames are not considered feedback, they are food for the trashcan ^_^).

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	31. 0210a: The Point of No Return, Part 2

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 10

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Beta

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn(/May?), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

And here is the real final episode. Read: Episode. There is still the epilogue and I shall upload it shortly.

Harry Potter Guy ^_^: Thanks for the explanation. I wouldn't know since I am probably one of the few people on Earth that never touched a single book or watched a single movie of HP. As for your suggestions to Ash's reaction. Well, he won't do that. Not anymore, not the Ash I have worked on over this past year and a half. Doesn't mean he won't be upset, but they'll all soon be having more serious problems on their hands. Oh, and of course, we need some good villains in the story. So, Domino will have to stay alive and there'll be a few more for Arc 3. The group needs some good adversaries to make their lives harder. ^_^

Evespirit: Thank you for the very kind review. To be called sophisticated makes me almost want to deny it. ^_^ I often feel that I'm not very good with vivid description and metaphors, it is nice to know that someone really enjoys my writing the way it is.

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**(Narrator)**

"The final of the Contest at Twinheart Island is over, ending with an explosive tie between Dawn and May. However, there is little time to celebrate. They still have to deal with May's confession and the realizations all three have come to before and during the match. And unbeknownst to our heroes, Misty and Leaf remain in grave danger while the world has begun to learn what has happened within the last hours. How will all these events play out, what consequences will there be for our heroes and the world in general?"

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**Opening Theme (Shining Days, Mai-HiME)**

A blue, cloudless sky. Mew flies into the picture and performs a few twists, turns and loopings, writing the series title into the air. The camera zooms in on Mew's face and it looks like the viewer is drawn in.

_aozora ippai ni_

_watashitachi no omoi ga chiribamerarete yuku_

Ash and Dawn are standing together on a hill, holding hands. Dawn leans closer and Ash embraces her. They lean in for a kiss.

_unmei no hito ga anata nara iinoni_

_genjitsu wa umaku yukanai_

The scene fades out from a television frame. May is sitting in front, watching with longing. Naru jumps into her lap and she smiles in determination, jumping up as the scene fades around her.

_hikaru kaze no naka_

_yume no hane maioriru yo_

Misty is swimming in a pool. She stops to float on her back, then submerges into the water. In the reflection she sees Leaf and reaches out uncertainly with conflicted feelings on her face.

_yuuki dashite mirai e_

_sou utsukushiku..._

Misty breaks the surface of the water with a leap, suddenly at a beach. Leaf is sitting on the shore and waving at her.

May is running towards a faraway image of Ash and Dawn with a smile of determination.

_ugokidasu atsui kodou ga_

Ash and Pikachu are running over a plain, jumping over hurdles and Pikachu letting loose lightning attacks.

_ano hi to onaji hayasa wo kizamu yo_

A split screen of Dawn and May. Piplup and Buneary are creating a giant ice stadium and Beautifly is dancing within a Ninetails flames (see Episode 1 for both). Dawn and May are looking towards each other as if they were in the same place.

A brief flash of Brock and Ako standing together with Flareon and Leafeon.

_massugu na manazashi ga suki_

_zutto miteitai_

Short image of Giovanni in his office with a dark disembodied form behind him.

Scene switches back to Ash, arriving at a hill. Looking up he smiles seeing Dawn, May, Brock, Ako, Leaf and Misty standing atop and waiting for him.

Camera shifts up into the sky and from where it fades out of Mew's eye again who flies down and into the prior scene, landing on top of Dawn's shoulders.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Episode 10: The Point of No Return! Between Victory and Defeat! Part 2

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Ako)**

"Honestly, I still don't get how you are so eager to risk your health like this in a simple competition," I muttered, finishing with treating the most serious wounds. That last move had left a nasty tear that had also frozen over. I suppose it had looked worst at first than it really was but the match had left its traces all over my current patient. She certainly was more banged up than she was letting on. All the small hits had accumulated and the constant transformations had really drained her energy even further.

And all that in just five – well, technically more like six minutes. I shook my head in wonder. I wasn't feeling inferior. Frankly, I didn't really want to compare myself to this level. While learning about the necessity for battle was one thing, pushing my Pokémon to such extremes was not something for me.

"Ah, but it was fun." Naru's chuckle startled me with how heartfelt it was. "I wasn't sure myself at first either. About these human competitions, but... Well, it was very exciting. I am still tingling all over."

For a moment I stared, then shook my head again in wonder. So often I had heard about battle instincts, that fighting was within most Pokémon's nature in one form or another. To hear it directly from a Pokémon made it sink in a lot more. And it wasn't necessarily something violent. There was a glow about the young Eevee now that hadn't been there before. Something was fundamentally different about her whole demeanor. Less guarded and suspicious. Less cynical and sharp-tongued as well. It was probably not a lasting effect but if this was what it took to get her to be more trusting with others... I couldn't very well condemn it, could I?

"Besides... I owed that much to her anyway," Naru spoke up after a moment of silence. There was no need to elaborate as to whom or what she was referring.

"So you think just by fighting they can resolve their issues now?" Brock had finally confided in me last night about his friends' personal... problems. That was probably a poor choice of word. And, honestly, knowing didn't really help, just as I had suspected. This was something those three had to work out amongst themselves. I had even less experience with these things than Brock and if even he was at a loss over how to help them, how could I expect to do so?

I still felt rather doubtful that a Pokémon battle could help them though. How was that supposed to achieve anything? I guess I just didn't understand what it really meant for a serious competitor. "Frankly I don't know either." And it seems I wasn't the only one. "May believed in it. And that's good enough for me. Something happened out there. I can't really describe it, however, I think if she ever had a real chance, then it is now."

And so she ended up stuck with me. Aside from the necessary treatment, it gave those three some time alone to talk. Since Brock and I were the only ones she trusted yet that were available that left little choice. Her secret might be out but that still didn't mean she wanted anyone else near her... or perhaps she didn't want that even more so right now than ever before. I had half-expected a media swarm trying to invade the infirmary... and was just a little surprised it hadn't happened. In fact, there had been no signs about anyone trying to get information about Naru yet.

That would have been more strange if I didn't suspect it was for the same reason that Brock wasn't here. This time he hadn't even tried to avoid or hide the subject. I didn't think I could have either. Working had allowed me to forget about it for a moment but now that I was pretty much finished with Naru, and Dawn's Pokémon had already been treated next door, there was nothing much I could do to prevent my thoughts from returning to the troubling news my fiancé had to share with me just shortly before the match started.

He had been so shaken up. And while the match had distracted us, it had only been a few minutes after all. Almost as soon as they were finished with the award ceremony, Brock had excused himself and it was quite obvious that he went to find out more about the situation in Cerulean City. I was surprised at first he wouldn't go and tell the others right away. However, he probably didn't want to interfere with their talk either, especially not without having some more... substantial information.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on with everyone?" I started and looked down at Naru, who had become much more serious again. "We weren't ignorant to it. Something had been up since yesterday and the communication thing had something to do with it, right? May was just too focused on the match to allow herself to think about it. But now... I couldn't tell for sure since I never used my Espeon form but there was a high level of unrest from some people. Especially the judges, the security and also some people in the crowd."

I was amazed at the level of deduction. While I knew that she shared some aspects of her evolution stages in her base form on a constant degree, it was all very basic without going through a similar process as she had during the match. Of course, it might have just been very easy to tell, I couldn't say since Brock and I had only been watching from backstage. The atmosphere inside the stage hall could have given something away...

And did it really matter? No, I guess there was no point in not saying anything either. Holding the events in the rest of Kanto secret wouldn't work for much longer. In fact, it might just be starting to leak right about now. Communication channels were slowly starting to work again and it was almost a miracle that the situation hadn't escalated yet.

Besides, I really needed to talk to someone about this...

Naru growled suddenly and tried to get up, but her body was too weak and she collapsed back on the examination table. The action startled me and I looked at her quizzically, forgetting about the reprimand I would have normally uttered for forcing herself so soon. The young Eevee wasn't the type for it anyway. "Something's wrong," she said. "I think someone is..."

Then her attempt to decipher whatever it was that bothered her became obvious as the door to the infirmary swung open, revealing two figures completely covered in black. I didn't even have time to really take them in or really be startled before one of them had lifted what looked like some sort of gun and the next thing I knew there was a dart sticking out of my shoulder.

My body began to feel numb and woozy at once and even while my medical knowledge realized what it was that had hit me, it was already too late as the drug was taking effect and I felt my consciousness slipping away...

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**(Ash)**

The scenery didn't exactly fit the occasion. With the Contest over and an explosive finish, the grey clouds hanging all over the island and further out looked more like a dark omen than something to celebrate over. A dark omen for what I wasn't quite sure, yet I bet I was going to learn about it soon. After this was done. If we pushed this off again, there might never be a more suitable opportunity. The feelings and openness the match between May and Dawn had created was still there and I was going to need it to keep an unclouded mind.

Dawn was the first to join me outside. Both her and May had been caught on our way outside for another interview, causing a slight delay to our plans. Not that it was unexpected. More distraction should have been the normal course. But it seemed the media had their attention elsewhere. That should have been odd, considering they were here for the Contest in the first place and who else would you want to focus on than the winner? Especially since it was winners now. However, I wasn't that terribly surprised.

"Are you sure you want to do this now?" Dawn didn't stop looking forward, over the cliffside behind the Contest Hall. I was a little surprised she was asking this now, even though I had no doubt she knew what was on my mind and probably had her own suspicions. "We both know something has happened, something bad. Wouldn't you rather want to find out first?"

It was a viable question and one that any other time I would have probably answered in the positive. I wanted to answer it in the positive. However, I couldn't do that. Not now, not with this. Resolving this now took priority. I couldn't honestly say I was convinced that this – whatever this really was supposed to be – could work, however, much like Dawn I could tell the importance now. There was an urgency inside me that was practically screaming at me that I couldn't run away or push it off any longer. It had to be done now.

"Maybe Dawn is right," May's voice interrupted me before I could answer Dawn. I turned and saw her standing behind us, a few feet off, back in her regular trademark clothes, and uncertainly waiting for permission to come closer it seemed. She was probably more nervous than Dawn and I combined, which was understandable. "The guy that interviewed me did let something slip..." she trailed off, then apparently gathered her courage and I really didn't like the haunted look in her eyes. "I can't be sure really but... I think something happened in Cerulean..."

_Misty!_

It was really hard this time to fight down the urge to spring into action immediately, even if I honestly didn't know what I was supposed to do. A few years back I wouldn't have been able to resist the urge. That was different now. I managed to push the immediate anxiety down forcefully, certain in my knowledge that I would somehow know if something... irreversible had happened to one of my oldest friends. My focus had to be in the here and now. There was nothing I could achieve by running off heedlessly.

"No, we need to do this now. Come on, May." I waved her forward to sit with us and she followed hesitantly. Before she could follow through, however, Dawn scooted a little to the side and gestured at the space now between us. I raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, realizing that she was only trying to make the other girl feel more comfortable and less isolated.

Despite that the mood remained awkward and no one said anything for almost two minutes. It was starting to get oppressive. "So," May said finally and I looked at her actually grateful, "how do you want to do this?" She still sounded uncertain and like she was expecting rejection anyway, but there was a little hope now.

Once again it was Dawn, the surprisingly most active part in this bizarre situation, that took the lead. "I think before we make a decision about where to go with this, I really want to try something out. Do you trust me?" The question was directed at both of us but I knew it was more May she was asking. I wasn't sure exactly what she had in mind but there had never been a time I didn't trust her. Even when we might disagree, I could always be certain of her sound judgment and good intentions. May didn't hesitate either, giving a small nod, but she was definitely more curious about my girlfriend's plans.

Dawn moved from her place next to May and crouched down again in front of us, then held out her hands. "Give me your hands." I did without thinking about it. May was a bit more hesitant but not so much from a lack of trust. No, I think she actually looked more... shy, which was kind of cute. Anticipating Dawn's intention by now, I reached for May's other hand, completing the circle. The brunette looked at me a little startled and I offered her a reassuring smile. Dawn gave us her own pleased one. "Great. Now, don't fight this. Just let yourselves fall."

I realized now what she had in mind but there was no time to think about it. What happened next wasn't quite what I had expected either. It was impossible to tell how long the experience lasted. Somewhere between a single moment and a small eternity. Rationally I would say the former but it felt more like the latter. It was also impossible to properly describe what it was that I... that we all were experiencing beyond a single word.

Harmony.

There was a great warmth and a powerful love so much like what Dawn and I had but even greater, as hard as that was to imagine. And frankly I couldn't have imagined it before. There was a great feeling of belonging and rightness, like everything in the world was how it should be. If I had to describe the sensation somehow it was like feeling... whole, I guess.

Then the moment was broken, yet the memory still lingered within my... in our hearts. I could tell even without looking at either girl. "What you felt," Dawn was clearly affected by the experience as well, despite being the one responsible. I didn't think she knew exactly what was going to happen either, "was a glimpse of what could be. I'm not saying it has to be that way or that it'll ever turn out that way. What we felt was the likely outcome of an ideal future if we decide to accept May and make a relationship work between us."

Had this been the first time something like this had happened, I would have been shocked and perhaps a little put off at the ability Dawn was demonstrating here. But I had stopped being too surprised and instead settled on simply being amazed. I had no idea that she could do something like this and was pretty certain it had never come up in any of her training sessions with Mew either.

Before I could wonder too much about it, however, Dawn was ready to continue, squeezing both of our hands but focusing on May. I could also feel her silently asking for my approval. And I couldn't refuse. Not after this. I knew what she was asking and what she was going to ask May and all the misgivings and doubts –while not having disappeared – seemed so very insignificant right now.

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)**

"You really have to teach me how to do that," I whispered. It might have sounded like humor but it really was more a way to distract myself. The silence was even less bearable than meaningless conversation. Besides, even if my thoughts were on different things, I was rather baffled and impressed by Leaf's skill to get up on roofs or other higher ground without even the help of a Pokémon.

"I'm afraid that won't work, not the way I learned at least. And I am nowhere as skilled as a true ninja. You are too old already to learn properly." Ah well, it was worth a try. But did she really have to shatter my distracting interest so fast? Obviously yes, I realized a moment later since we had already arrived.

For a moment I felt a fleeting sense of regret for having to leave the safety of her embrace. I was still amazed she could even carry me! There really were still a lot of things that I had to learn about my girlfriend. All the more reason not to die or give up though. This, however, was something I had to do or I would not be able to move forward. If I left Cerulean like a defeated and scared child, the experience today would always haunt me. Saving these people might not erase that or even accomplish very much but it was important to me in order to move on.

Leaf was already peering over the side of the collapsed building's roof. Strange how I knew exactly where we were, even though most of what was left was rabble. The memories I had weren't so easily dispelled, however... No. I shook my head. Not now. Not yet. If I wanted to grieve, I could do it later. Instead I forced my body forward and joined Leaf in observing the spectacle below.

I wasn't sure what exactly I was expecting but it wasn't Team Rocket members herding people into small trucks and larger helicopters obviously meant for transporting several people at once. What the hell did they want with the survivors? Didn't Domino say that there was no purpose in attacking Cerulean beyond it being the most convenient target? So what was this about then? If they just wanted everyone dead, they could have done that long ago already. And if they wanted people to live to tell others of what happened, then why attempt to take them away?

And did it really matter? "I have no idea what they are planning but we can't let these people endure even more." Glancing at Leaf, I saw her nod back seriously. Most of her Pokémon were still strong and I had been able to apply some potions to my own and let them rest or recover. It was superficial and wouldn't really take away the exhaustion or replace a proper treatment. But it would have to be enough. All we needed to create was an opening.

"Ready?"

This time it was my turn to nod. The plan was relatively simple. It was also quite risky, especially on my part. I was sure it had taken Leaf a lot to suggest it but I was glad she trusted me enough or at the very least understood my need to see this through.

"Let's go."

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Jessie)**

"I can't believe they are talking about romantic problems NOW," I hissed in irritation.

I couldn't clearly understand anything from our hiding spot but this was the best one we had been able to come up with on the fly. The cliffside didn't offer much in the way of protection and so we had to make due with a line of higher rocks that would be enough to cover us from anywhere but someone looking up from an awkward angle right below while in or on the water.

I really wished they had chosen at least a different spot for their... whatever the hell it was they were doing. Didn't they understand that they were in danger? We hadn't risked everything to deliver that warning just for them to get careless now. This wasn't just their lives at stake here after all. All three of us knew that if we went through this, we would definitely have a death sentence over our heads, more so than we might already have. However, we had also all agreed on this course of action.

A year with very little conflict with the kids that had made our lives miserable for so long, had left a lot of room to think. Both about our past and our future. One thing we had to sourly admit without the usual outlet being available was how absolutely foolish we had become. We should have left these kids alone the moment it became apparent how much trouble they were. More trouble than it was worth the effort. And a thief should always travel the path of least resistance. In the end we had nothing but ourselves to blame for our persisting, constant string of losses over the years.

On the other hand, even I had to grudgingly admit that dealing with them had changed us. At least it had changed me a bit. Years ago, before we had met the twerps, I would have never done something like this. In this situation I would have rather went into hiding so far and deep away that no one could find me. But it was different now. They had at least taught us some of what it meant to help one another.

That righteous, do-gooder attitude was annoying, really, but at times you couldn't help getting affected.

"Uh uh, Jessie, remember that guy we saw?" James whispered next to me, looking up from his small laptop. I waited for him to him elaborate impatiently. "Well, I found out where I had seen that insignia before. He's from the Ypsilon squad." I winced. Ypsilon squad was one of the Elite units of Team Rocket. They were experts in doing the dirty jobs. The one no one wants to know about and no one ever WILL know about in detail. I didn't really have much more information about them and most of that was from hushed talk back in Headquarters. If this was true, the kids were in even greater trouble than we had realized.

That was just another reason for deciding on this step. There was no future for us in Team Rocket. The organization had transformed into something neither James or I had signed up for. Stealing Pokémon, making other people's lives miserable, that was all fine and good. No one could tell us what to do. We had the freedom to do what we wanted, which was just perfect for all of us. James had wanted his freedom from his rich life and I had had far too few joys in my childhood. The liberty of an outlaw was welcoming and a couple of steps up from what I had as a kid.

Now Giovanni was making Team Rocket into a tool for his own crusade. Neither of us had ever signed up for an army. It went against everything we had always wanted. James wouldn't be able to stomach killing someone in cold blood and Meowth talked big but actually had quite a soft heart. Me... I wasn't sure if I could and I really didn't want to find out.

I glanced back at three of our former adversaries and then movement caught my eye and I cursed softly. "They are here. Get ready."

The time for reflection was over and we had made our choice, otherwise we wouldn't have even been here. Chickening out now was out of the question. We owed them that much as well. Regardless how often we had clashed and lost, they had taught us all a few important lessons and actually saved our collective butts – along with the rest of the world – quite a few times. Besides, this would be the only time. After today, there was no doubt we would have to quite literally vanish off the face of the earth for some time.

Apparently Ypsilon Squad had the same idea as us, skirting along a formation of rocks directly opposite of us. I had almost missed them if not for a flash of black visible in a gap. And it looked like the kids were so engrossed in whatever they were talking about that none of them had noticed. I had at least hoped Dawn would have. Wasn't she supposed to be some kind of psychic now?

Risking a small glance at my teammates that was returned in kind and finalized with three short but decisive nods, we all got ready to spring into action. Clasping one Pokéball tightly in my right hand, I fingered the handle of the dagger stashed into my belt. Perhaps we were not ready to kill in cold blood but if we were doing something as crazy as this, I would rather be prepared. Ypsilon squad wasn't one to fool around or to have any hesitation with. If you weren't fully prepared to follow through, I had no doubt it would end fatal.

The anticipation was killing me. The kids still seemed blissfully unaware of the danger they were in. I had to suppress my frustration at that. It seemed their assassins were waiting for the perfect moment, although I wasn't sure how much more perfect it could become.

Then those three actually laughed about something, noticeable less tense than before, and that was when it happened. The sound of an actual gunshot made me freeze for a moment, although I clearly couldn't have done something about it. Definitely not as well as Dawn did. A bullet clattered to the ground just centimeters before it would have brought a quick and efficient death to Ash. There was the faint glimmer of some kind of barrier but it was gone again almost immediately and whatever the annoying girl – who had not been quite as ignorant of the situation as I thought – had done, it had clearly taken a lot out of her.

Seeing as their cover was blown, the black-clad forms of the special squad emerged into view. Four in all. Two of them were carrying firearms. I gave a signal to James and released Yanmega. "Sonic Boom, destroy that gun!" I ordered, deciding quickly that these things had to go right away. James was quick to follow with Carnivine targeting the other one. The surprise was on our side and both of our Pokémon were successful.

Now the real fight would be on, however.

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**(Dawn)**

"You have to decide, May. I can't give you what you want right now. I can't say I love you yet and there is no guarantee that I ever will. And the same goes for Ash. This really might never work, however, I think we are both willing to try. How about you? Can you go into this, knowing our feelings right now?"

This still was so strange. A few weeks ago I would have never imagined myself to actually ask another girl these things. The encounter with Christine had been an eye-opener, both to my own insecurities and to the truth that had been there for a long time now. The truth that there was something still lacking, that the puzzle that was true happiness was still incomplete. I really hoped I was right, that this missing piece was May. In fact, after what I had just done almost confirmed it for me.

Now it was up to May to decide. The ball was back in her court. I wasn't terribly surprised by her answer, however. "I... I have been living with these feelings so long. I came here already believing that the most I could achieve was to get them off my chest. But you showed me that there was actually hope, Dawn. I can't express how happy that made me feel. Even if it's doomed to fail, I cannot stop believing and that's why I want to try. Without regret."

And this time there really was no hesitation. There was true belief and it actually made me feel... happy. I had never bore any ill will towards May. In fact, if all this was meant to be, I was glad it was her. We had seen a glimpse of what could be and a big part of me wanted to see if it was really possible to achieve.

Ash chuckled suddenly. "I'm kind of relieved. I was really afraid of having to hurt either of you." It was his way of saying he was okay with this arrangement, reluctantly and still with doubts but much more convinced now than he had been yesterday. Convinced that this at least deserved an honest try.

I giggled when he scratched himself behind the head, that adoring gesture of embarrassment he had never quite lost and May followed my expression of amusement, the serious atmosphere lifting under our genuine laughter... albeit only for a few moments. It was abruptly disrupted by an earsplitting sound unlike anything I had ever heard before.

Thankfully I had been aware of them for some time now or I wouldn't have been able to react in time. That connection thing had drained me quite a bit – especially since it was mostly improvised and on the fly – but I was also more aware right now than normally. And it probably saved our lives. Application of my powers to generate a physical shape was a difficult thing right now. Mew had warned me but I didn't think it would drain me as much as it did. Trying to push off the ground, I nearly fell over from the sudden wave of dizziness; if Ash and May hadn't instinctively caught me I would have smashed my head against the rocks.

Then the not quite so unexpected help arrived and took care of the immediate, most dangerous elements in the current situation. I had frankly no idea just what exactly those weapons were but I knew that at this speed that projectile would have smashed through anything, especially a living body. I had felt the raw kinetic force crushing against my barrier.

"I'm... fine," I managed to reassure a concerned May, shaking off my dizziness with resolute determination. It seemed our attackers were not big on words, only exchanging a few threats with the... now, probably Ex-Team Rocket members before releasing their Pokémon. This was no time for weakness. Ash had already begun to release his own team. But it would be tough. There were four of them and I could immediately feel the foul... corruption radiating from our opponent's Pokémon.

"May, listen. Trust me on this. These Pokémon are twisted. They are beyond saving. You cannot show any mercy." I expected an argument but it didn't come. May understood the seriousness of the situation at the very least. Instead she nodded curtly, then stood and threw her own remaining Pokéballs, releasing Blaziken, Beautifly, Venusaur, Blastoise and Glaceon. I did the same, already missing both Lopunny and Prinplup, the latter having wandered off to check on her no doubt. With Pikachu and Naru also not here most of our best Pokémon were not present and these men... I didn't need any powers to realize their intention and that they would stop at nothing to achieve it.

The fight immediately escalated into barely controlled chaos. Our opponents had a couple of first evolution Pokémon among them which our unexpected helpers chose to focus on. However, the real trouble were the bigger ones. I couldn't really do much to help personally. In fact even linking mentally with Espeon and Togekiss was a pain. As such they, along with Mamoswine and Quilava, were mostly left to their own devices, squaring off in pairs to watch each other's back. I was left with merely being able to observe and analyze while I recovered my strength.

Each of our assailants had a Golbat and Electrode, which they sought to make good use of. The Golbat were layering the battle field with a constant Supersonic from several angles. It didn't seem to affect the black-clad figures at all but for our side the high-frequency sound was more than just a little confusing. And the big ones wouldn't let us break out to deal with them. Most notable were the Nidoking, Golem, Hypno, Magmar, Granbull, Ursaring and Electivire but also the most grotesque sight of them all... A Milotic, skin darkened and with a look in its eyes that was so totally against anything the beautiful Pokémon usually stood for.

The fighting wasn't a long drawn-out battle of strategies, however. Even if they had us outnumbered slightly, our attackers were clearly intent on finishing us off as quickly as possible. They knew that the longer the battle dragged on, the more likely it was that the commotion would be noticed and backup would arrive. And it was with that intention in mind that the purpose of those Electrodes hanging back until now became clear as they launched themselves towards us, already beginning to glow in preparation for a suicidal attack, intent on causing as much damage as possible through an explosion. It was only too bad that the first two were slightly ahead of the others and May and Blaziken managed to break away from their opponents in time to demonstrate their martial art skill by striking them with a hard punch each and sending them right back towards the other two, causing them all to explode upon contact. I admit, despite anything I knew now, the sheer physics involved in such a feat left me gaping in astonishment.

At the same time Espeon's Future Sight finally arrived and struck down two of the Golbats before Togekiss took care of the other two with Aura Sphere. With the irritation of Supersonic gone and the suicide attack of the Electrode's backfired, the situation was starting to look a lot better.

At least until another Electrode came out of nowhere and before any of us could react self-destructed right in the middle of both May's and my own Pokémon. The resulting explosion had me gasp at the intensity and in fear for my friends...

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**(May)**

_What the hell is going on here!_ I raged, my anger refueled by the newest attack and spun to nail one of our attackers with a punch and then a quick snap kick into the gut that send him flying. Beautifly being the less sturdiest had taken the worst of the blast and just like Dawn's Togekiss, Quilava and Espeon were out cold. The rest that were in the blast radius had taken some extensive damage. Ash's Jolteon didn't look like it could go one either, while Bulbasaur had been flung about and right into one vicious Flamethrower from the Magmar. Staraptor had a burnt wing and fell easy prey to Electivire the next moment.

The size of that explosion had been truly frightening and if I hadn't believed Dawn earlier about those Pokémon, I did now. The kind of power was hard to swallow. It was different from results of intense training. There was an intensity and rage fueling these Pokémon that I could feel in every brief contact – contact I had tried to avoid after realizing that fact firsthand. I might have gotten stronger through Maylene's training but this was a whole lot different.

Did Ash and Dawn know something like this was going to happen? Who were these guys anyway? I suspected Team Rocket but would have doubted that after the appearance from Jessie and James. Yet the short exchange in the beginning where the attackers had been less than pleased with their appearance and the word "betrayal" had clearly been spoken gave my first thought more credit again.

I really didn't understand anything anymore. One moment I had felt more relieved and overjoyed than I had ever expected before coming here and the next it was utter pandemonium. There was no time to even think about it really. Even now... no, especially now that the situation had just turned a lot worse. And it would become even more so.

There was a fifth person emerging from the settling dust of the explosion. And that one was different. It wasn't just the blood-red stripes on the arms of his bodysuit or the heavy utility belt lined with several utensils ranging from knives, daggers to what looked like some kind of explosives. Training my body with Maylene had taught me a lot about evaluating another person. And this one carried himself with confidence and certainty befit of a leader.

All this was irrelevant when it became clear that he wasn't alone, dragging a clearly unconscious – at least I hoped so – Ako in front of him. "I suggest," he spoke clearly, his voice loud and commanding, "that you cease your futile resistance, if you want this woman to live." With that a knife appeared in his hand and was held against the unaware woman's throat.

I glared heatedly. "Bastard, what did you do to her?" Ash shouted off to the side, clearly hesitating what to do now. But there was no emotion to detect from the man, face covered by a mask like all the other members of his team. Instead, he merely pressed the edge of the knife a little harder against Ako's skin, drawing a bit of blood. "Hey, stop that!"

"Then I suggest you do as I say. Cease all your resistance, order your Pokémon to stay where they are and let us finish our work." Meaning, killing us. I didn't need anyone to tell me that. It was painfully obvious from the ferocity of the assault and the willingness of both those crazy Pokémon and the humans to attack us directly. And what would guarantee Ako's safety anyway? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It wasn't like we could check after we were dead..

Yet, fighting on would definitely put her in even more danger. The decision was taken out of our hands when our attackers used the confusion and hesitation to press their attack. I gritted my teeth, watching helplessly as one after another our Pokémon were taken down. They wouldn't even allow us to recall them and if not for the stoic and methodic way in which the assault was carried out, I would have thought they actually enjoyed seeing them in pain. Everyone was clearly hesitant to fight back properly and that was their eventual downfall.

Soon enough only Blaziken was left standing from my own team, more like kneeling and nursing his shoulder from several high-pressure water blasts from that Milotic. Other than that only Ash's Infernape and Charizard were even able to move still but it was clearly more pride and fury that held them conscious.

With almost all our defenses down, the original three assailant's – the other one was still lying a distance off from my earlier attack – closed in on us again, clearly still worried about the bruises I had given them when they had tried to attack me earlier. Now the situation was different. I could take any of them in a clear fight, no problem. But this wasn't like the kidnapping back in Jubilife. Here I didn't have surprise on my side and one wrong move could endanger Ako's life. On the other hand, I had no intention of just letting them kill us either. Just now I had been given a chance at love where I had not expected to receive one. If anything, I would have to make sure Ash and Dawn were alright. Somehow there had to be a way...

With these thoughts dominating my mind, I reacted without thinking. _Sorry, Brock, I have no choice._ I dashed forward and before the two men advancing on me could react, struck out hard and fast. Then without thinking I spun immediately and sprung after the other before he could reach Ash, flattening him with a fast knockout punch to the head.

Whirling back to face the leader, my danger sense flared immediately and I fell into a guarding position, only to realize nothing was coming. Not for me at least. The Hyper Beam had just finished forming in the Nidoking's mouth when I realized its target was not me...

There was once again no time to think about it and even if I had, the outcome wouldn't have been different. "No!" I jumped forward just as the beam was sent on its way towards Dawn. Diving forward I just managed to bring myself into its path, spinning to face the attack with arms crossed in a halfhearted block.

While I had learned to redirect greater mass and kinetic force, that took a proper stance and technique. As I was, caught in midair with no way to brace myself whatsoever, I could have just as well tried to stop a truck at full speed. Pain exploded all over my body and enveloped my whole being. I didn't even remember what happened next. My whole body felt like it was on fire. Searing, hot agony coursed through my cells... and then nothing. Only numbness remained besides the throbbing pain. Numbness and... water? Something was dripping on my face. It barely made an impact on my state of being but... there was...

Blurrily I forced my eyes open and couldn't help but smile seeing the concerned faces of the two people I loved more than anything else. I was in Dawn's lap, Ash crouching next to her. I could feel the softness of Dawn's hands holding me and the wetness from her tears. But I was glad. Glad that they were okay. Glad that I had been able to protect them. "H-Hey," I croaked out, lifting up one hand despite the stab of new pain that came from my burnt limb. But I forced myself to wipe the tears from her face, even if it was a futile and very temporary effort. "I'm glad... you are... okay..."

I felt so very tired. It was an effort to even stay awake. Part of me knew that I was probably dying but the rest didn't really care right now. I saw it now. I saw that they cared, that they really would have wanted... I just... "Love you..." If only I had realized it sooner. If only I had pursued this path earlier. Now I would never know what it might be like. That was my only regret...

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**Cerulean City, Kanto (Leaf)**

The maneuver worked like a charm. I had been certain that after our escape, every Rocket in the city would be on the lookout for us. Regardless of what Domino had said – and I didn't put it beyond a certified criminal to be an expert liar anyway –, Giovanni knew about us and he wasn't the type to let loose ends that could come back to bite him unresolved. Taking us both out now was an excellent opportunity.

And because of that almost every Rocket in the plaza immediately focused on the redheaded girl crashing down into their midst on a very angry Gyarados. For all the professionalism and planning this attack had been executed with, give people a little time to relax and feel safe enough that there is no real danger left, and they get lax. Within a short time the prisoners were left almost unguarded while Misty made a great show of a ferocious assault turning into hesitation and then flight, leading her pursuers around the block.

The rest was simple. I wasn't going to let the remaining guards call out their Pokémon, my own falling over them like a hungry pack of Houndour and Houndoom – I think Hellfire definitely had his fun. All of them were furious at what they had seen here and shared my sentiments that none of these men deserved any mercy. Even if we had had the luxury, which we didn't.

It was over in seconds. "Go!" I shouted to the confused and frightened citizens and reinforced my order when many hesitated. "Get out of here now, they won't be gone for long! Your Gym Leader is risking her life for you!" That got them moving. Many in fact started to murmur in admiration and praise, some measure of hope returning and invigorating them. Not a moment too late as the sound of fighting drew closer again and Misty reemerged on the plaza, with even more Rockets on her trail than when she left. I cursed and once more urged them to hurry, before I sprinted off to assist my girlfriend.

My prediction certainly seemed to come true. It really seemed like every Rocket in the city was now out to get us. Those were odds I wouldn't have felt comfortable enough to face even at full strength. Already on my way in I had had to belatedly admit that even if I had been here, it would have made only a minor difference, probably none to the outcome. The sheer number was staggering. And we had to cover the citizens' escape as well.

That at least worked. However, by the time the plaza was clear, the Rockets had pretty much boxed us in and fighting our way out – especially with the worn-out condition of most of Misty's Pokémon – wasn't exactly looking like a possible option. Flying was out as well, already there were several airborne Pokémon circling over our heads.

I felt Misty's back touch against mine and couldn't help a morbid chuckle. "At least none of us is going to die here alone, huh?"

Before Misty could give an answer, however, there was a sudden bright flash of light and then something on the edge of my scarcely developed senses tingled with a feeling of uneasiness as I felt power at work completely opposite to my own. Of course that was thousand times better than the situation just moments before, I had to admit soon enough.

The light was too bright to make out anything specific but I could see a vaguely familiar shape. "I suggest you run now," it said in a melodious, probably female voice and I already understood who it was. Not that it mattered. This was the only option. I recalled my Pokémon and grasped for Misty's hand. A moment later we were running almost as blind as our enemies around us but somehow certain that we were going the right way.

END 02-10a, click next to continue...


	32. 0210b: The Point of No Return, Part 2

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Episode 10

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Beta

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn(/May?), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Brock)**

"So, nothing new from..." I trailed off, still staring at the screen where the recording that had went over all channels had just ended. This was certainly going to cause all sorts of reactions and it was clearly not how Cynthia and the others present would have preferred to let everyone know. The images were still burned in my mind, burned like the rest of Cerulean City, with almost nothing left standing.

It had been a horrifying sight that would probably haunt me for weeks or months to come. The level of sheer destruction was overwhelming and Giovanni's passionate warning... no, more like a statement or even promise, was frightening to the core. There was no doubt he meant every word of it and right now the Pokémon League really didn't look good after he had presented such an example of Team Rockets capabilities.

And people had seen it inside the building as well. In fact an announcement had been made that everyone should stay inside for a formal statement by Cynthia herself. It was too late for that now. I wondered how long it would take for panic to escalate?

"It's not that we couldn't... Only that there is no one left to give us an authentic report on the situation. So we have to wait for the first inspection team or for Lady Mew to bring your friend back." If she managed in time that was. I hated this. I hated just being here and doing... nothing. It was too much like I had felt towards the end of our journey through Sinnoh. Always only the support, being left behind by the fast development of my friends. I had thought I had overcome this but what exactly could I even hope to do in a situation like this?

Cynthia shook her head once more – she had done that a lot ever since the recording went through. "Brock, I can understand that you want answers but there is too much going on now. Please, go find your friends and stay together. There is a lot of confusion going on right now and it would be the perfect moment for someone to strike at you."

There it was again. Just like Mew's ominous warning before she left. Why would we be in danger? What would Team Rocket even want with us? It had something to do with Mew, I was sure of that, but there had to be more. Before I could ask for at least some clarification, Cynthia had already left the room, however, and I found myself standing there somewhat dumbly before I swallowed my anger and headed back to the Infirmary to collect Ako.

It wasn't really Cynthia's fault. She was the Grand Champion and highest representative here. With all the chaos sure to erupt now, she would have her hands full and really couldn't be bothered by details. That didn't mean it was sitting well with me. Not at all.

Lost in my thoughts, I almost ran over poor Prinplup and Lopunny who seemed to be on their way back as well. Seeing those two together, so obviously caring for each other, lifted my mood a little bit. What good did it do to lament over things I couldn't change? Maybe Mew and Cynthia had been right, looking after everyone that was here was something I could do. I had already gotten far too sidetracked.

"Hey, you two, I was going to pick up Ako and Naru and then see what the other three are doing. Want to come along?" The two Pokémon nodded happily and followed me the rest of the way.

However, when I finally opened the door to where I knew Ako would be treating Naru, I blinked at finding the room empty. They couldn't have left already, right? I had told Ako I would be right back and Naru had definitely looked like she was going to need a lot of rest at the very least.

The growls from the two Pokémon with me finally clued me in that something was terribly wrong. Mew's warning came back to me unbidden and I quickly looked around for any kind of clues, desperately hoping that I was wrong and there would be a note somewhere, telling me where Ako had gone. She was rather thorough like that and normally didn't just go vanish without any prior notice.

But there wasn't a note. Only a lone Pokéball that I knew contained Genki. Ako would never leave without her...

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**A bit earlier (Pikachu)**

Smiling to myself I watched Lopunny and Prinplup off, the latter slightly supporting the former, although she was mostly good enough to run around again. I had made my congratulations for her splendid performance and then left them alone again, just as they clearly wanted. That was fine with me. I wasn't jealous, that would be a little late and foolish after all.

If anything, there might be a bit of envy... No, envy was too strong a word. More like longing. My two friends were starting to get closer and I had to wonder what it was really like. In all the time of Lopunny's courtship, I had never really felt the kind of closeness that a potential mate should be sparking, which had led to the inevitable outcome.

I could hardly deny, however, that seeing all these relationships develop all around me had started to make me think about myself and my own situation. Heck, even Brock had found someone steady. Was there someone like this for me out there? Someone that would spark my interest? I didn't know... or at least I thought I didn't know.

Until this morning. I couldn't say for sure if it went beyond mere curiosity but I couldn't help being fascinated by Lopunny's opponent. While I had tried to stay as impartial as Ash concerning the outcome of the match, my interest had always been drawn back to May's strange Eevee. There was something... special about her. And not just her mysterious abilities.

Without really noticing, it seemed my thoughts had drawn me back to the infirmary wing that was just beyond these doors. I was pretty sure I could just slip inside the moment someone would come and then... Yes, then what? A big part of me wanted to find out more, yet I hesitated to do so. Naru was May's Pokémon and that made the situation much more complicated. In the end it all depended on the outcome of her talk with Ash and Dawn. I had long decided that I would never leave Ash for anything or anyone, even love and a mate. And trying to pursue a romantic interest when your Trainers were better off avoiding each other was not exactly high on my list of things to experience.

My musings were interrupted when I picked up the sound of footsteps behind the doors. They were faint even for my good hearing and that meant someone was being very quiet on purpose. My suspicion piqued, I slipped behind a row of chairs to the side and waited.

The doors opened with a hiss and out stepped two figures completely clad in black. But they were not alone. My eyes widened and I resisted the urge to voice my surprise at seeing an unconscious Ako slung over one of the men's shoulders and the other holding Naru, still conscious and glaring so intensely at her obvious abductors that I was mildly impressed they hadn't caught fire yet... However, she was clearly still too weak to do something from her fight. I hoped it was just that.

After looking around whether or not anyone had seen them, the one with Ako turned to his partner. "Alright. I'm going to see if the others need our little extra insurance here to finish their job. With some luck those brats should be dead already." I growled quietly, barely suppressing my anger before they would notice me. It was all too clear who they were referring to. Ash, Dawn and May were alone. Prinplup and Lopunny weren't with Dawn either. It wasn't like I believed that they would be defeated so easily but every bit of my being still wanted to rush to their side right away. However, something kept me...

"You, go and deliver that one back to base. The Boss will be happy to have his little experiment back." Experiment? Back? The pieces started to fall together and it was becoming clearer just why Naru had these special abilities. They weren't just a new technique or skill naturally developed or trained. She was made this way... The thought caused a righteous fury inside me and when the two men split off into opposite directions, I hesitated only a moment. I'd like to say that logic told me that Ash and the others were strong enough to handle themselves – we all knew something like this would happen thanks to the idiot trio's warning –, however, being totally honest, I would have to admit it was all pure instinct from this point.

Following the man outside as quietly as I could, I waited for the right moment. He was really cautious and striking too soon would ruin my surprise. However, I couldn't let him get away too far. As much as I wanted to help Naru right now, Ash and the others were still at the back of my mind.

Fortunately I was in luck and Naru's abductor seemed to relax his guard slightly once he was clear off the immediate parameter of the Contest Hall. Using a tree for momentum, I dived down and slapped the surprised Rocket – and I had no doubt about that one – in the face with my tail. With a yelp his grip on Naru loosened and she pushed free immediately, landing a little unsteadily on the ground.

Coming down in front of her, I spun immediately to face the cursing man, already fishing for his Pokéballs. I almost lost my concentration though when Naru spoke up from behind me. And I mean spoke, in human language. "You... Why are you...?" she trailed off, realizing it wasn't really the time to be asking questions.

I didn't have time for an answer anyway when the sound of six Pokéballs opening immediately set me into high alert. I smelled it immediately, that disgusting stench of corruption and one look would have been enough to tell what I was dealing with. I wasn't surprised by seeing one of them again. But they were all like that. And there were obviously more of these assailants and if all of them had these twisted Pokémon then... The sheer scope of the thought was staggering. Right now though, there was nothing I could do about the rest.

My odds weren't really looking good either. I wasn't arrogant enough to believe that I could take all of them. But I would definitely try. I had to. No way would I let these bastards get their hands on Naru again. The strength of the thought startled me for an instant because I was quite sure now of what my instincts were telling me. Regardless of all the possible complications.

Charging my power, I prepared to go into an all out offense right away, hoping to use my superior speed to overwhelm them. It turned out to be unnecessary, however, when a Hyper Beam struck the Golbat hanging back a little. I turned towards the direction of the attack and saw a Garchomp swooping in from above, which would have to mean...

"You should better go. Leave this to me. Your friends need you more," Cynthia spoke calmly as she faced off with the lone Rocket member.

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**(Brock)**

_Ako, everyone, hold on!_

It felt like it was taking me hours instead of barely a couple of minutes to reach the cliffside exit. Yes, I really had been foolish. I had been so consumed by my irritation of not being told anything that I had ignored the one vital piece of information, the one vital task entrusted to me along the way by a powerful Legendary Pokémon. Instead I had thought that by knowing what was going on, I could help better. Had I just stayed with Ako, then...

"Hurry... They are in danger..." I gritted my teeth and pushed my feet further. Had I not run into Pikachu and Naru, I would have probably been running around aimlessly. I should be thankful for that but right now, all I could think about was my own failure and the hope that it wasn't yet too late to correct the mistake.

Finally reaching the exit, the greeting that awaited me couldn't have been any worse. They were a good distance away from the exit but even then I could clearly see the Hyper Beam, I could clearly see May jumping in the way and getting... struck. "Oh god..."

"No!" It was impossible to tell the exact emotion that went along with Naru's half-outcry, half-hiss. Anger, despair, disbelief, sadness... Even from what little I knew about the young Eevee, May meant more to her than she had probably admitted to herself. A life line or perhaps more a guiding light in an existence stained by the darkness of her past.

Not that it was easier for me to see. I had travelled with May for so long. She was one of my closest friends, a sister much like I saw all of them like my younger siblings. And once I again I had failed. Once again I had been too late, too weak to protect anyone. However, I wouldn't allow anyone else to get hurt. Even if it cost my life!

"You guys, go to the others, they need you now," I told Naru as well as Prinplup and Lopunny. "Pikachu, give me an opening. Anything will do, just draw his attention, then back off." Receiving an acknowledging cry full of the small Pokémon's own anguish, I waited until the Rockets' attention was on Pikachu jumping in their midst and immediately taking down the Milotic with a Thunderbolt. And I mean a _Thunderbolt_ – a big, visible blast of lightning entirely consuming Milotic in one single strike. Throwing out Steelix' Pokéball, I jumped on his back and let him quickly bury into the rock of the cliff. That was somewhat risky because we could very well bring down the whole area but at this point the risk made hardly a difference. And besides, it worked perfectly.

Their leader was definitely unprepared for an attack from below and barely managed to jump out of the way. Not fast enough, however. In his hasty evasion, his hold on Ako slipped and I just barely managed to catch her arm and yank her free. However, that guy certainly was crafty. Recovering quickly he had drawn and thrown one of the knives on his belt immediately, only to have it bounce of harmlessly from Steelix' tail before my oldest Pokémon moved away and in front of Ash and Dawn who were focused entirely on May, making it impossible to see the amount of damage the Hyper Beam had caused...

With some effort I tore my gaze away. If I gave any thought to that now, all of us would end up dead as well. Ash and Dawn were in no position to fight. Not just because most of my friends' Pokémon were out or severely damaged. Seeing May's action, they were clearly focused on her now. And I couldn't blame them. I wanted nothing else than to be there. But I had no choice right now.

"Everyone, I need your help!" Throwing out my remaining Pokémon, we formed up a protective line to shield our friends. I regretted already not having Chansey with me since she was still back in the infirmary and I definitely missed my newest member. Tropius, who had also decided to come along after the forest fire incident, had been left at Professor Oak's lab along with Ako's Altaria for a thorough checkup. Neither of us had quite expected that we might need them so soon. That left me with Steelix, Croagnuk, Swampert, Forretress and Leafeon. Well, Genki, too, of course.

Pikachu had warned me – with some translation help from Naru – about these Pokémon and made it absolutely clear that I shouldn't hesitate to do whatever was necessary when I faced them. As if I had an actual choice in the matter. It was them or us.

"So, the last one appears." The apparent leader didn't seem terribly fazed. "You realize it is a futile effort. The girl is as good as dead and you are the weakest of them all. How can you hope to protect them?" That one stung right into my own insecurities and feelings of failure. But it also sparked something else. The cold and uncaring way in which he spoke about May cut through the beginnings of my own doubt and managed to make me focus.

Yes, I had made a mistake and I couldn't take it back. I would be damned, however, if I wavered here. That past year I had trained hard to catch up to my friends. Certainly, I knew I wasn't even close to their level but my Pokémon had all become strong nonetheless.

"I wouldn't expect someone like you who can kill without remorse to understand. They are my friends, the most important people in my life. That alone is enough reason to stand against even the worst of odds. You'd do well not to underestimate my Pokémon!"

Despite those words and my resolve to protect those I called friends, the odds weren't really looking good. I couldn't expect much help from the rest except Blaziken, Charizard and Infernape – each of whom was just barely able to keep going – while Pikachu and Prinplup had joined their Trainers crouching around May. It was better that way anyway, since I didn't have to worry that much about stray shots getting through.

This left all of my Pokémon pretty much in a one on one setup with slightly worn down but radically enhanced adversaries that would fight until there was no life left in them. Leafeon faced off with Golem, Forretress with Hypno, Genki bravely faced down Magmar while Croagnuk moved to take Granbull and Swampert took Ursaring. That left the hardest work to Steelix who had to fight both Nidoking and Electivire. All of our opponents had sustained some damage already but that wasn't helping much. Pikachu hadn't been exaggerating about their mindless drive. Regardless of how much hits they took, they just kept on coming.

It was all we could do to hold out. I wished I could just loathe myself for not being strong enough again but I had enough sense left to tell that it was simply a bad situation quickly turning worse. Steelix managed to take down the Nidoking eventually, tearing into its neck – and I can't deny feeling a slight sense of satisfaction which still didn't do anything to lessen the pain from seeing May... No, I couldn't think about it now. I couldn't even spare a look back to see how they were doing.

And worst of all. The leader of the assailants... he hadn't even used any of his Pokémon yet, merely standing by and watching cool and calculating, waiting for the right opportunity obviously. _Come on, guys, just a little more_, I thought, trying to lend strength to my Pokémon and amazingly enough feeling a reaction. I could tell the slight raise in their spirits, the strength to push just a little more.

And then Croagnuk managed to land a clean strike, burying a poisoned claw deep into Granbull's side but instead of pulling out again, flung the other Pokémon around and right into the path of a powerful Flamethrower that threatened to overpower Genki's own. The others redoubled their efforts as well...

Then a colossal roar suddenly shook the ground and for a moment I feared even the very cliff would break off. My head snapped around to take in a Pokémon I had never seen before. A large, frightening dragon with three heads and six wings tinted blood red and an obsidian black in color. It took me a moment to recognize it from my studies of foreign Pokémon. When I did my blood froze at the implications. Hydreigon by nature were already vicious and extremely strong. Modified like the others...

"Hydreigon, Dragon Pulse!"

My eyes widened and I was left totally helpless at the sheer size of the attack. And it didn't seem like he cared about taking down everything in its path – including all the other Pokémon either. And there wasn't anything I could do. None of my Pokémon were even in a position to block it and I honestly wasn't sure even Steelix could withstand it.

Frozen in shock, I could only watch as the enormous blast surged forward...

... then a small dark shadow jumped in its path and in the next moment a sphere of blackness formed around it, struggling to stand against the powerful blast. Bit by bit the energy was being sucked into what looked like a miniature black hole. And then I knew what I was seeing and a small measure of relief and actual hope flooded through me.

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**(Leaf)**

The timing was perfect, as if we had never done anything else. Gyarados' Hydro Pump slammed forward right over Shadow's defense and struck down Magmar with tremendous force, before sweeping around and aiming for Golem. The Rock type barely managed to doge but earned itself a devastating cut at close range from the Leafeon's Leaf Blade.

It was really time for this day to end. It had gone on for entirely too long. The only rest I had gotten in over two days was in the brief time waiting for Emperor to recover enough. And not only had that hardly been enough, it was mostly filled with unease and anxiety. I was used to pushing myself since taking the position of Master officially but this was straining my limits.

Not yet. I couldn't rest yet. As things stood I was ironically the only one still fresh enough to pose a fight here. And I couldn't expect much help from Mew either. The Legendary had spent a lot of power in the long-range teleports and Misty and I had to be grateful for that. We wouldn't be alive otherwise. And what little she had left was desperately needed for May.

Pushing that thought back and leaving the situation to Mew I focused on the last of the group's attackers. And it was time to make the best of the surprise we still had on our side. "Release!" Shadow broke his Black Hole in a concentrated forward shot that blasted clear through Hypno. With a flick of my wrist I sent Hellfire and Berserker out. With only Ursaring and Electivire standing from the ones Brock had engaged, my two Pokémon made quick work out of them.

I risked a glance over my shoulder and had to stifle the urge to swear. Mew was hovering with Ash, Dawn over the injured May. It really looked bad. But all I could do right now was believe in Mew and make sure that they were undisturbed. Being dropped right into the middle of a battle like this without any idea of what was going on was rather disconcerting to say the least.

"So, you still live. I am surprised Domino failed to take you out."

I glared back at the lone Rocket, standing smug and relatively unimpressed by the sudden shift in the battle. Of course that grotesque Hydreigon was still there and it looked like a whole different level than the other warped ones.

"For someone whose own mission failed, you are pretty confident," I said, having no problem in playing the waiting game. I had no idea what the hell Cynthia was doing but every moment this dragged on, the likelihood of others noticing what was going on here became more obvious.

"Hmph. The girl is already as good as dead and you will soon follow." And then he held up five more Pokéballs and I swallowed hard. Those hadn't been his Pokémon after all. "I have no more time to waste on you, so stop your futile attempts of resistance." In five dark flashes Machamp, Delibird, Armaldo, Drapion and Magneton appeared. "These are not the same as the ones you are used to. As an Elite I have been granted with the strongest specimen of our research."

I lowered my head and growled at the word "research", furious at how they could play with the lives of Pokémon so easily. "You are right about one thing. It is futile. Futile to argue the point with someone like you. These poor Pokémon are merely tools for your plans, you would not understand the power that comes from our bonds. However..." I raised my head. "Let me show it to you!"

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**(Mew)**

From one sticky situation into another. Frankly, I would have preferred a few minutes more rest but when I felt Dawn's distress even across the great distance between Cerulean and the island, I had to make haste. Teleporting two people in addition was even more draining. Still... This was much more preferable compared to the time I had to make the hastened jump back in Cerulean Cave. Even a little focus greatly lessened the impact on my powers.

There was, of course, another reason why I was still in good enough shape to be of assistance. And that reason was strongly necessary if my first assessment of the situation wasn't entirely off. I wished it was. It only took me a moment upon arrival to detect the cause of my charge's distress. The extent of the damage done to May was something I could more feel than see from my original position but when I came closer, my heart twisted in sorrow, sympathy and just a little guilt. Guilt over letting this happen. Rationally I knew that what I had done was for the best. The other two would have certainly been killed had I not made it there in time. Emotionally, however, I couldn't stop thinking that there had to have been something that I could have done to prevent this.

Silently, I observed the three of them while turning my sight inwards, searching for some speck of hope I could work with. She wasn't gone yet but the life was quickly escaping from May's broken form. Ash had briefly glanced up when he became aware of our arrival and muttered Misty's name in slight disbelief but then had returned his attention to May. The anguish and helplessness radiating off of him was palpable. The weight of his own guilt, guilt over letting this happen, over not being able to express himself and his own feelings better, guilt over that it was too late now and that for all his skill he hadn't been able to protect someone he... loved.

I might have have smiled at the revelation but it would have been a bittersweet one at best. This wasn't what I had hoped for, how I had hoped for it. Dawn was even worse off. She had barely even acknowledged me, keeping her attention fixed on the other girl in her arms, once in awhile speaking reassurances and motivations like "It will be alright" and "Don't give up yet". There was guilt as well, but of a different kind. Guilt over letting this happen, over not being strong enough to prevent this. It didn't take me much to piece together from her rampant emotions just how this had come to pass.

But most of her attention was focused on the effort of saving May. Seeing her attempt to use her powers like that, under these conditions, both startled me but also gave me hope. Hope that it wasn't too late and that something could still be done. Of course, right now her attempts to force her light powers into healing someone were a desperate and ultimately futile attempt. With only a bare minimum of her abilities available, it could never work. Thankfully that was something I might be able to help with.

Ash suddenly looked alarmed. "Her pulse is fading!"

Dawn looked ready to cry, only through sheer stubbornness holding back the grief, because she knew that it would break any kind of concentration she could still muster. "No... Come on, May, you can't give up now. We haven't even started. You can't..."

"We have to get her to a hospital somehow," Ash argued, but even he wasn't fully convinced of that course of action. Deep down he knew that with May in this state even the best medical facility in the world probably couldn't save her. The damage was severe. The attack she had obviously taken full force had eaten deep into her, leaving a gaping wound in her side that no doctor could hope to fix in time. Besides the blood loss up to this point had been far too high already.

The helplessness was starting to be overwhelming. It was now or never.

"It's not too late yet," I finally spoke, drawing both their attention immediately. They both looked like they had just realized I was even there – not that I could blame them. Their desperate hope was almost suffocating. Fixing them with a hard stare, I staved off their immediate questions for now. "But only one person can still save her now." My gaze focused on Dawn and she blinked, at first not understanding, then eyes widening.

While technically I could perhaps do something myself, I lacked both the full amount of my power right now and the actual skill. I had dabbled in healing but it had never been a skill I had the right kind of mindset for. Using Light in such a way was possible but very much depended on the user. Dawn had that potential, I had known almost right away. And her attempts, even fated to fail as they had been, had only proven me right.

"M-Me... But, you said..."

"Yes, normally healing is beyond the scope of your powers yet. However, there is way around this." I looked up into the sky briefly to ascertain the position of the sun. Good. It was a little past noon. This should work. The same circumstances that had allowed IT to extend ITs power like that, now made it possible to tap into the power of the seal. It was a complicated process and not even close to the real thing but it was the only way.

Not bothering them with the details and quite certain that they didn't care for it right now, I explained my plan. "You have to link with me and draw from my power. This should give you enough to barely equal what you should be capable of by yourself after releasing the seal." Before Dawn could agree hastily, however, I quickly continued. "However, this isn't without risk. Channeling like that, without your own power active, could cause all sorts of side effects. And once we are linked like this, I will have to put all my concentration into maintaining the link. That means I cannot help or guide you. It will be up to you if you can save her or not."

Despite the warning, there was no hesitation as she nodded seriously and determined. And I didn't expect one. In fact I was fully confident in her ability to pull this off. Being unable to assist her directly wasn't that big of a problem anyway. Healing was a highly individual and personal skill that every being had to find their own way to employ. It was a power that was inseparable from the healer's emotions, the strength of their will and heart to save another life.

Dawn could do it. I had absolute faith in that.

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**(Dawn)**

There was not even a thought of hesitation when Mew finally brought her tail around in front of me, the tip glowing in a soft but potent white light. There was no risk that could have outweighed the terrible feeling of that moment when I saw May jump into the path of the Hyper Beam that had, without a doubt, been intended for me. I couldn't describe and didn't even want to think about words that could adequately portray the heart wrenching agony that I felt at that moment and the helplessness and anguish that followed. Those words were more than enough. Any more would just make it more... real.

And so I reached out to touch Mew's tail and opened my mind.

The experience was... overwhelming. The moment my fingertips made contact with the light, a wellspring of power that made everything I had known before look meager in comparison flooded my being. It was magnificent, exhilarating and... chaotic. Was that one of the risks Mew mentioned? I could barely grasp a little bit of the power that was suddenly so close and yet so far away. On the contrary, it threatened to overwhelm my own mind.

But I couldn't fail here. May's life was on the line.

*Healing is a rare skill. Because it is inherently different from most other manifestations of power. The power to attack, even the power to defend or shape matter. All this is easy in comparison. Healing is much more complex because it can neither be forced, nor shaped. A healer has to find a way to coax the power to do what they want.*

Those that had been Mew's words. And so, instead of pushing against the overwhelming pressure, I... allowed my mind to be carried along the sea of power. Opening myself to the new emotions I had just shortly begun to discover, I fixed images of May firmly in my mind. Our first meeting and our first battle all the way back at the Wallace Cup. The first signs of friendship. Meeting again and her confession. Our second battle and the understanding and connection that came with it.

_You have to live, May. We just found each other. I don't care how hard it will be but I want to see if we can make it work because... I know, I know as clearly as I have ever known anything, that what we can have will be a treasure beyond anything._

And there was a response. I could feel it at the edge of the faint connection, still there, still lingering from our bond during the end of the battle and the brief glimpse into the future. Reaching out for it, I also drew in Ash's presence, finding him responding immediately, his warmth and strength helping to stabilize the maelstrom of power into a more concentrated and accurate flow. I could clearly see his own feelings, the love that was there but that he had tried to suppress for my sake. It was no longer necessary. There was only one purpose, one feeling, one mind and when we enveloped the faint but stirring presence that was May, there was – for just a moment at least – only one love.

_Don't give up May! Come back to us!_

Emotions flowing together, the chaotic flow of power stilled, then rushed forward all at once, its objective now clear.

Finally I allowed myself to open my eyes. Dimly I noticed that my hands were hovering over May's wound... or where the terrible, gaping wound should have been. Now there was nothing but a big hole in her clothing. Then I immediately focused on eyes fluttering open slowly. I could feel her pulse quickening again even without direct touch. For this moment we were in perfect synch and therefore I already knew before I even needed a verbal confirmation, that May was alright.

"Welcome back." I smiled in overwhelming relief.

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**(May)**

I wasn't sure what exactly happened. My mind was still fuzzy. However, it didn't even matter at first because I was certainly greeted by an angel. An angel with the kindest and most beautiful smile I could imagine. Well, just next to the other angel joining the first in my vision.

Then I started to remember what happened, who I was and who these people were and I blinked astonished. Shouldn't I be... dead? In wonder one hand fell to my side where I knew the Hyper Beam should have torn me open when the impact had flung my body around and exposed my side to the deadly attack. But all I found was fresh and smooth skin. Nothing remained, aside from the great exhaustion I felt, that would even hint at what should have been there.

I wanted to ask but never got this far. "Don't you ever do something like that again," Ash's voice shook with emotion as he gently took my wandering hand in his. "Do you know how worried I... we were?" I smiled slightly at the honest feelings carried within his words and voice. It was there. I could tell now for some reason. The love I had always wanted. Still somewhat clumsy and restricted, inferior more in its freedom than its potency compared to his love for Dawn, but it was there.

Dawn took my other hand and her voice cracked slightly as she spoke. "That's right. We promised to see this through together, didn't we? You ARE important to us. Just as important as Ash is to me or I to him. I might not be able to say it yet but I... I want to be with you. I want to love you just as much as I love Ash."

And those were the words that finally broke the dam around my own heart. Yes, I had already opened myself to them on so many levels, allowed myself to trust their promises. But a small part of me had remained doubtful. Not anymore. That part was gone, perhaps I'd like to think it had died in my place. All there was now was an all encompassing joy. "You really mean it?" My own voice shook although more because I asked for a renewed confirmation than because of doubt. They both nodded and I was sure my expression broke out into a radiant glow and happy smile.

Unfortunately that was when our attention was drawn elsewhere as an explosion shook the ground and I remembered there was still a battle going on. For the first time I realized that we weren't here alone anymore. There was Brock, an unconscious Ako, but also Misty and Leaf. I blinked at the latter two but then decided the reason for their presence was secondary at the moment.

A Delibird crashed to the ground, flames starting to eat away at it mercilessly and a Machamp took its final breath as Infernape's fist smashed right through its chest. That only left the large ominous dragon on our opponents' side. I had no idea what kind of Pokémon it was supposed to be but I didn't need to in order to understand it was the most dangerous.

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**(Ash)**

I think all that I had experienced right now, in this short time that seemed so endless... I would need a lot longer to fully comprehend everything. Right now the only thing that mattered was that May was alright. Everything else, the questions and the new yet old feelings and all these other things, could be dealt with later.

There was, after all, still a battle to be fought. A battle I had neglected for too long and without the surprising appearance from Leaf and Misty would have ended long ago. Instead the assassin leader's Pokémon had fallen one after another to the combined efforts of Leaf and Misty's Pokémon with some help from Charizard, Infernape and Brock's Steelix. All but that imposing Hydreigon.

"Good work," Mew spoke up finally, coming out of her own trance, and sinking wearily to the ground. "I am afraid I won't be of anymore help right now."

I shook my head grimly but determined. Confidence was rising inside me. After all that happened, after the miracle we had just witnessed, we could not lose here. "That's alright." I rose, Pikachu immediately dashing forward to join the battle. "We are not going to be defeated by a heartless murderer that thinks nothing of using Pokémon as his tools of destruction!" My voice rose as I stepped forward and everyone paused to look. Drawing deeply from the strength and harmony still fresh and radiating inside of me, I let my confidence flow outward, willing it to reach everyone. "Isn't that right?!"

There was a chorus of enthusiastic replies before a wave of soothing yet invigorating light swept over us. I didn't need to look to know it was the last bit of Dawn's power that had been used to heal May. It wouldn't help much for those already too injured to battle but surely everyone else would feel their fatigue lifted.

Hydreigon never stood a chance. Up until then Shadow had played a game of cat and mouse... or perhaps more like "castle under siege", constantly drawing the large Pokémon's attacks. Finally returning the stored power, the shot served as an opening volley. Hellfire, Charizard, Infernape and Blaziken enveloped our foe with fire from both sides. Berserker was throwing large rocks like pebbles, joined shortly by Steelix. Pikachu used Gyarados' and Prinplup's Hydro Pumps to boost his own Electric attacks for maximum effect.

And despite all that punishment, Hydreigon still stood... well, was still flying. A roar shook the cliff once more, it was a horrible and frightening sound that was actually an attack I realized a moment later. An attack that was enough to bowl over three of the Fire types just hanging on with the last bits of their strengths. Then each head began to form a different colored beam. Prinplup, Hellfire and Berserker stood side by side and managed to counter it but it left them drained. And the rest didn't look much better.

It was time for the final push.

A startled shout from May alerted me that another Pokémon had joined the battlefront. I looked somewhat surprised at May's Eevee who didn't seem like she had profited very much from the brief healing. But her attention was solely focused forward on Hydreigon and the man commanding it. "I won't forgive you. Not just for trying to take me back to this place but even more for almost killing my best and... only friend in this world!"

Still connected as we were I could clearly feel the surprise that came with May's gasp. I didn't know much about the dark-furred Eevee but I could tell immediately that this wasn't something May had expected to hear and her Pokémon's words had moved her deeply.

"Alright! No way we can lose now! Pikachu, get ready!" This time there was no hesitation. After seeing what they were willing to do, even the last doubt about the methods necessary to defeat them were gone. Not that I would resort to Thor's Hammer. As much damage as the terrain had taken, it might just go right through the cliff. And that really wasn't necessary either. We were no longer solely reliant on this move for a big impact.

I shared a look with my friends and there was no need for a battle plan. Everyone knew what they had to do. Mobilizing the last bits of their strength, there was one Pokémon left for each of us, standing united. Shadow opened up with a large Dark Pulse, pushing Hydreigon actually back a little. Then a groggy but stubborn Prinplup joined Gyarados once more as they struck their opponent's left and right heads with all the power they could manage. The coordination was perfect and Hydreigon despite its power staggered and was unable to counter when Steelix burst from the ground and wrapped around his foe, squeezing tightly.

"That is the difference," I told the lone Rocket member standing, who was now definitely worried about the turn of events. "They are just tools for you. The bond that we share, the strength that we can draw from our friendship and love, that is something you won't ever understand... or defeat."

Taking this as a cue, Naru shifted into a Glaceon and started to freeze Hydreigon's entangled body with an Ice Beam that was clearly taking the last of her strength but which she held stubbornly until Steelix finally broke away at which point she quickly spread the ice over Hydreigon's whole body.

"Now, Pikachu!" Already sparking with a corona of gathered elemental energy, Pikachu leapt forward, pushing off once in midair and bursting forward with staggering speed like a small missile or, which would be more apt, a real, live thunderbolt. This wasn't the same attack anymore that it had been against Leaf. No, its potency was far closer now to our ultimate finisher but more physical and requiring less of a setup. "God of Thunder!" And with a thunderclap that I was sure could be heard miles out at sea, Pikachu struck.

There was no contest.

Cracks splintered across the ice in the blink of an eye and then the vengeful projectile that Pikachu had become drilled forward and through the obstacle before causing a violent explosion, shattering his target into many small shards.

It was finally over. And yet, even in the certain sense of victory I knew that in fact, the real battle had just begun.

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**(Narrator)**

"This eventful day ends with a victory but it is a victory with a bittersweet taste. In the midst of chaos and almost tragedy the seed of a new love has begun to blossom, yet the trials of Ash, Dawn and May are but a small part of the greater picture. Cerulean lies in waste and Team Rocket has made its intentions for this world known. The events of this night and morning mark a turning point in the lives of our young heroes. Now all of them have gathered in one place, more than ever aware that they have crossed the point of no return. From now on they must face their destiny."

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**Maia's Prophecy**

**Maia: I see, I see, I see in the future. *looks around suspiciously but spots no one out to interrupt her* I see... The brave fighters licking their wounds. I see Mew telling more stories. I see plans for the future. *looks around again* Hmm... where did everyone go? *shrugs* Oh well... Next time on TFSTTM Reloaded... THE EPILOGUE! *cackles madly* Yes, it's going to be done. Finished. The End... Arc 2 at least. I need a vacation! *flies off***

**MysticMew: Is she gone?**

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**Author's Notes**

Alright, final notes. Well, okay, not quite so final. But after the mammoth effort of these episodes that were supposed to be one, there are a few things left to clarify.

First Ash/Dawn/May. The direction taken shouldn't be much of a surprise for anyone. I've said some things at length already and I don't really feel the need to defend my choices. If you don't like the direction, then don't read. I am guilty of doing it myself at times when I can't take the direction the main pairing is taking in a story. That being said, it is still a rather stupid thing to do. Unfortunately it's a bit of reflex once you start reading/liking only specific pairings. Usually I do keep reading if I'm totally into a story because it's so obviously fantastic and I hope that the same goes for you, even if you can't stomach the idea of a threesome.

For everyone that has not read some of my earlier work, I only want to say that the few times I did threesomes (or more), it was always a mutual thing with all people involved. Personally I don't believe (even though I do read them) that harem stories with multiple people focused on one person work. The only way to have a stable relationship with more than two people and without succumbing to eventual jealousy or such, is to have the same/similar feelings between all involved. That being said, I'm still not sure if I am doing well with Ash, Dawn and May. They certainly are not yet at this stage (not that they should be). Minako, Hotaru and Makoto were a lot easier to do back during Soul Lights. That being said, if you feel I'm not doing well in developing the interaction, completely independent of whether or not you like the idea, you may let me know. Of course, you can also let me know, if you think I am doing well! ^_^

Pikachu and Naru... If all of you remember, I said my not doing Pikachu/Lopunny was a consequence of a different inspiration I had. There you have it. I really wanted to do more with them but... oh well, all of Arc 3 yet to go.

Before anyone comments... Don't put too much weight in my selection of Pokémon used by enemies/opponents. Unless it's an opponent with an actual background and/or with more than a one episode showing, I won't go and plan out every team methodically. If I were paid for this, I probably would for the sake of detail. Since I'm not, I mostly look through the Pokédex and select a bit on a whim and a bit depending on situation and necessity.

Yes, Tropius went with Brock. I am not sure if I mentioned this before and unfortunately even I remembered that intention only after writing his part in the battle. I would have put it in then. Yeah, yeah, the checkup idea was lame, I admit, but I didn't want to rewrite it because if I did, I would have had Tropius get a bigger part since it's new and all.

The battle in itself was rather... weird to write. I wanted to actually focus more on individual matchups, especially for the final stretch. But different things always demanded my attention (mostly May, of course). I hope I still did well for a final showdown in this arc.

And that should be it. If I have anything left to say, I leave it for the Epilogue, same goes for end of arc notes. It shouldn't take that long to get out hopefully. However, these two episodes were pretty draining, so we took a few days off after the finish. As always, please leave your feedback through the most convenient method available to you and we shall greatly appreciate it.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	33. 02-Epilogue: Aftermath! Their Destiny

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Second Arc, Epilogue

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Beta

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn(/May?), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

Alright, here is the real conclusion to the second arc. Still not beta'ed but I can safely say that the issue was nothing more than a simple case of a "mail gone missing". Turns out that I was supposed to have received the beta for 2-9 already but the respective mail had not reached my inbox for some reason. Yep, sometimes it is the most simple explanation. The beta for 2-9 is up already and the others will follow as quickly as xryuran can get them done.

As usual thank you to the new reviewers. And once more thanks to Evespirit for another nice review. It is interesting to hear you compare my writing to Martin since I have just started reading the Game of Thrones books about a month ago and am thoroughly engrossed. I did note that he has a rather similar way of expressing the story with the changing point of views. It's not first person like mine and not as frequent but it is also extremely personal. I was very happy to see a seasoned and well-respected author writing like this as well. Not that I would ever want to compare myself to his genius. I have not been so fascinated and reading so much of one book every day since forever.

My explicit gratitude goes to "the stone tiger", however. Here is someone to make an example of. This is how I think an ideal story review should be and if everyone could just express a portion of it, I would be rather happy. Since I have already directly answered it, I shall not further go into detail here but I would urge you to take a look and be humbled. I certainly was. ^_^

And now, without further ado, the Epilogue of TFSTTM Reloaded. Enjoy while it lasts, it might be awhile until the next installment.

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Mew)**

Pride and sadness sometimes are very close together. They certainly were today. I was proud of these young children – and despite many of them being on or over the verge of adulthood, all of them were still children in my eyes. Proud of their growth, the way they could handle themselves in a fight. Proud because they had preserved through this trying day almost entirely on their own.

But I was also sad. Sad because of what the events of the day had done to them. It had left wounds. Physical – like May's almost death mostly – but especially mentally. What form those would take and how deep they would run was impossible to say right now. I was especially worried for Misty and what she had to go through in Cerulean and how May's case would affect everyone was hard to tell.

In a way, today had driven home to them just how serious this was going to be. Seeing people you know actually die courtesy of the threat you are going to face, teaches a better lesson than any theoretical warnings. And that alone was sad enough. That I would find something good in all the badness.

The fight wasn't quite over yet, however. The leader of the assailants was still there. Reasonable shocked at the turn of events and to see his strongest asset – because clearly he saw them as nothing else – fall at the hands of his targets. Indecisive for a moment, weighing between trying some other way to fulfill at least part of his objective – and he was armed heavily enough to still be a viable threat – or to run and save his own skin.

Eventual the latter won out as it seemed but by the time he turned, it was already too late and he ran into a resounding punch from an angry Garchomp that laid him out flat, not even giving him the chance to utter a cry. Cynthia stood behind her Pokémon with a grim expression, her eyes taking in the state of the group with the same kind of feelings I was experiencing right now.

"You took your time," I said, only remotely admonishing. It was clear she had been here for awhile already and part of me could guess why she had only intervened now. "How long have you been here?"

Cynthia smiled slightly but it lacked any humor. "By the time I arrived, it did not look like you needed any more help. And I figured everyone would benefit from having at least a certain sense of victory to experience today." And for that I was actually grateful. Whatever the last hours had done to them, I hoped that being able to stand up to their foe and earning a victory mostly under their own power would be able to give them strength. They would certainly need it soon.

Almost on cue a trio of security men appeared and began to collect the fallen Team Rocket members while Garchomp promptly and none too gently slung the leader over his shoulder, following the others inside. Cynthia was ready to follow immediately. "Everyone must be tired and some of you definitely need to be treated. Please go inside and then have some rest. I wish I could stay and fill you in myself but I really have to go now and prevent a panic." With that she turned sharply and walked off, her usual grace and calm clearly shaken, which might be why no one spoke up to stop her until she was already back inside the building.

"Wh-What did she mean by that?" It was Dawn that finally voiced the question probably on both her own as well Ash and May's mind. It seemed they really had stayed mostly unaware of what had transpired around them, much like I had hoped. Of course, the truth might be only harder on them now. I was a little surprised Dawn had not noticed but then again she was so focused on her match and May in particular that she might have ignored and blocked out the warning signs on purpose. Now she might have been the one to pose the question but the echoes of her brief power boost were just fading away and she must have gotten a much better feel for all the chaos surrounding us.

It was the young Master, Leaf, that chose to answer eventually, clearly reluctant and unhappy about that task. "Early this morning, Team Rocket launched massive attacks on several cities inside Kanto. All could be repelled, all but the real one at least." Her gaze flickered to Misty and everyone caught it, realization dawning on their faces morphing into shock and horror. "I am afraid Cerulean City was entirely..." Again she trailed off and did not finish. There was no need, everyone that didn't know already understood.

I was amazed none of the three completely uninformed were angry at being left in the dark, although right now I believed it was more because they were much too exhausted from their own trial and it would take awhile for their minds to work through this new shocking information.

That this assessment wasn't entirely correct became apparent when Ash quietly left May with Dawn and walked over to the clearly distraught redhead. Clearly showing his growth over the last year, he pulling her into a hug without saying a word while everyone watched silently.

Seeing as no one else was willing to make a move right now, it seemed the responsibility would fall to me. "I think Cynthia had the right idea. Everyone is tired, some of you are injured and I suggest May should get a checkup as well. There are many things we need to discuss now..." Turning my head I fixed the young man tending to his girlfriend with a stern look. "Right now though, I believe everyone should have a break. I hope you don't mind delaying any explanation until then." The last bit was mostly directed at Brock.

It was apparently unnecessary. Whatever had transpired before my arrival, he seemed sufficiently chastened and averted his gaze of guilt and self-reproach. "That's ok," he mumbled, squeezing the unconscious woman's hand. It wasn't like I did not understand his curiosity and his frustration about feeling left out. However, I still believed not telling the rest sooner had been for the best. Even with this outcome. They would have spent the entire time looking over their shoulders otherwise and it still might not have changed what had happened today.

Ash finally released Misty and walked back to collect his Pokémon and then pick up May. Everyone else also took this as a sign to get moving and without much further words the small group of battle-weary children trotted back towards the Contest Hall.

It saddened me once more to know that a scene like this would not stay a singular event for very long.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Second Arc: Glimpses of Destiny

Epilogue: Aftermath! Their Destiny

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**(Dawn)**

"Long, very long ago, in this world there were two sentient life forms. One of them were humans and the others were what is referred to in your history books as animals. For long periods of time, evolution progressed naturally but eventually the faster evolution cycle of humans began to take effect and the animals felt threatened by humans that became more and more clever at hunting them, driving some races to the brink of extinction. It was in that time that some animals were born that possessed an unusual high amount of a mysterious energy that was believed to be generally so underdeveloped in living beings that it was of little use."

I listened only halfway, having heard this part several times now. In fact I had seen many more things in my dreams that Mew hadn't even revealed to Ash and myself yet. She might do so now, however. Now that everyone was present. It was easy to think of her as withholding important information but that wasn't true. We had barely been together for a month but already I felt like I knew the so unimposing, small Legendary better than anyone else. Those conflicted feelings were as easy for me to read as words from a book. Not every detail was clear but it was enough to get a general understanding of just how hard her role really was and that it entailed a kind of responsibility I did not envy her for.

Of course, that responsibility was now mine as well. So far it had all been theory. Some practical training but nothing that was too different from what I had already learned with Sabrina before. It did not quite feel real yet. Now it was different. The power I had experienced a few hours ago was... frightening. Frightening in its magnitude and potency. Frightening because I was expected to wield that. That, which had barely been an adequate equal for what was meant to be mine as a base power.

The explanation Mew had given us about NRE and was now giving to the others as well, could only be truly understood once you experienced this power in its entirety. The short glimpses of abilities did not do the true scale of what was slumbering inside us any justice.

Was I able to do this? Could I shoulder all that responsibility?

Two years ago, it would have been too much. The first glimpses of the hard reality that was the path of a Coordinator had almost crushed me. Back then, I had been putting too much pressure on my own shoulders and almost crumbled under its weight if not for Ash. Ash who was there to shoulder it with me. An example I could draw strength from and motivate myself and eventually the person that would always instill me with confidence.

I wasn't the same person anymore. The thought of what was to come now did scare me. Who wouldn't be? Everyone had seen the recording from Cerulean and by now live feeds had become available as relief forces had reached the area. It was not a pretty sight. I felt really sorry for Misty whom I had barely gotten to know but that hardly mattered. I wouldn't wish such an experience on anyone.

Yet, despite being scared, it did not stop me. It did not make me unable to take action or doubt myself. With Ash here and now May as well – an unexpected but no longer unwelcome addition –, I was certain I could face these dangers. Because I wasn't alone and I was aware of not being alone. There was no reason to doubt while having those that felt so strongly about me at my side.

_I guess I really have changed a lot_, I realized with less wonder when I believed I should have felt. That Dawn from back then was gone... No, not gone. She had become something more, something better. Like a Pokémon I had undergone my own evolution from the aspiring Top Coordinator into someone that understood the mysteries and secrets of the unseen much better than I could have ever imagined. The last step of that evolution... I had gotten a glimpse of it today. And if this was my destiny, then I would walk this path, together with those I loved because we would be able to overcome everything. That's what I felt, deep in my heart.

"Around that time, many of us who had a high potency of NRE were already born but we were scattered, of different races and without a sense of community like mankind. Until He was born. An anomaly some said. A being with such a strong connection to nature that he had the highest NRE potential any being alive had ever seen and probably ever will." Yes, she was definitely going to be thorough about the story this time around. Mew did not like to talk much about their former leader, the memory clearly too painful.

"Everyone would just call him... Zero. The one with which everything ended and begun. He became our leader... our hope... However... Even the most innocent desire can become the trigger for something you can never take back again."

Everyone was listening raptly. Even I was starting to allow myself to being dragged in. My mind was still awash in sensation, picking up echoes of feelings and thoughts without even trying or wanting to. I could sense Brock's guilt and as a result of that, a lack of faith in himself. I could feel Misty's anguish, although she was trying hard to suppress it. What drew me most, however, was May.

A checkup had confirmed that aside from extreme exhaustion nothing remained of her terrible injury. Even now she was still groggy but had stubbornly insisted that she could at the very least sit and listen. That wouldn't have been so much a concern, if not for the deep impression that her brief brush with death had left behind. It was not an overwhelming emotion but it had clearly unsettled her. I hoped it wouldn't stick and fester. That was something Ash and I definitely had to make sure of.

"Zero's only wish was to see nature in balance. However... One day his concern over humanity's evolution started to become something more... Fear. This fear drove Zero and the like-minded beings he had brought together to a hastened action. We had found a way to tap into the NRE directly when combing our individual powers, Zero acted as a focus. We only wished to strengthen our kind but the power was far beyond our control. It swept over the face of the planet, transforming animals everywhere into what we know today as Pokémon. And so we had done something no living thing ever should. We had played with the rules of nature and changed the very laws of this world. This was our sin, a sin we could never take back again."

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**(Brock)**

"Suddenly with greater power and intelligence the balance had shifted drastically. The newly evolved Pokémon were not able to control their instincts and new strength well and humanity was unprepared for this change. Many humans were killed in the initial years to follow when Pokémon actively sought to fight back against whom they perceived as their enemies. In the end humanity was knocked back several evolutionary cycles."

Fascinated I listened to the tale. As a long time Breeder – and I had never fully abandoned that part after all – this tale was something many of us would give everything to hear. Because here it was, the origin of Pokémon. Long and often believed to be tied to certain Legendaries like the Sinnoh Legends about Arceus or Dialga and Palkia, I could never have imagined that the truth was something like this.

I could understand why those that apparently knew about it, wanted to keep the truth covered up, however. The present clearly showed just why. Hearing this tale now made it all too clear that Team Rocket's leader knew about this as well. His words made a terrible kind of sense with this information. And as such, if this had become public knowledge – no, once this did become public knowledge –, there would easily be others to feel the same or at least entertain similar thoughts.

And I couldn't even fully blame them. Just those brief images of bloodthirsty Pokémon attacking humans in a rage, not unlike what I had seen from these warped creatures from Team Rocket just a few hours ago, would haunt my dreams for quite awhile I was sure.

"We, the initiators, had received powers much greater due to our initial NRE and the proximity to the ritual. We were deeply saddened by these events. We could not understand the sudden aggression, even outright hate, shown by the new Pokémon species and were long powerless to calm them."

As fascinated as I was by all this, however, the guilt I still felt about the events this morning still outweighed any satisfaction at finally getting the information I wanted. The price had been almost too high. No, it had been too high. I was not so conceited to think I could have prevented everything. That strike team had been too prepared. And whether or not I had heeded Mew's warning, they would have found some way to carry out their mission. But I couldn't forgive myself for letting Ako get involved. She wasn't hurt and had by now slept off the drug, already sitting beside me, although still a little groggy. However, it could have easily turned out and ended worse. Ultimately that wasn't even my greatest regret. Letting Ako get kidnapped and used as a hostage or leverage was bad enough. That May almost got killed because of that was something I could not and would never forget.

And that's why I sat and waited patiently. So far, as fascinating as the tale was, it was for the most part a lesson in history. There was more though. Much more. Dawn's sudden powers were a clear indicator for that and considering the explanations so far I had a feeling I knew where this was going already and why it seemed to concern primarily those present here.

I had seen and heard about my fare share of legends and such after all.

"Zero, who had fallen into a comatose state after the ceremony, briefly regained consciousness and informed us that the change had another terrible side effect. Since so much NRE was manipulated, much was wasted in the effort. This energy did not simply dissipate though. It grew a consciousness of its own. Taking in all the dark feelings of fear, hate and desire. Unnoticed it had begun to influence the emotions of the Pokémon. Inexperienced with their new evolutionary state, they became easily susceptible and the influence was done on such an unconscious, instinctual level that no one noticed."

Somehow we would all be tied into this. Deeply. There was little reason for Mew to seek any of us out or involve us in all this if the Legendaries could solve this problem themselves. Soon I would learn about what kind of fate was in store for us, however, it was clear already that the events of today were just the beginning of a long and terrible conflict.

I wondered what good I could do in this? Already I had nearly allowed the death of two people dear to me and in the end, it had hardly been because of my own effort that this tragedy did not come to pass. If this tale was heading in the direction I believed it would, I had to question my ability to be of use to my friends. Especially because I was the oldest of the group together with Ako. That came with an even greater kind of responsibility that I didn't feel quite up to.

"Hearing these terrible news, we banded together to seek and hunt down this being, the conflict erupting into a terrible battle that further scarred the face of the land until IT was finally defeated. Yet, IT could not be completely destroyed because IT was born out of the energy created by Zero, so we sealed IT away instead."

And what was sealed often did not remain that way. Not for all eternity. There was always a way, always someone seeking to free what was sealed, either intentional or without even knowing. It was easy to tell the utter contempt Mew held for this being, only using a rather emotional "IT" as reference.

No, I could clearly see now where this was going and I definitely wouldn't say that made it easier.

Regardless... I would still stand with my friends, whatever the future may bring and whatever we had to do now. The latter did not even matter by itself. Giovanni had practically declared war on the Pokémon League and in extent every person who saw and loved Pokémon as friends and equals. Even with the impending prophecy I could practically grasp already, there was no way Ash and with him pretty much all of us wouldn't be pulled into this conflict one way or another. Dawn would be with Ash all the way and as things stood, so would May. Misty's hometown had been destroyed by Team Rocket, there was no way she would rest until the score was settled. And Leaf was a Master herself, it was her duty to fight...

And so I had to be strong. Much stronger than today. Because I could not... No, I would never allow something like this to happen again. I never wanted to feel so helpless and guilty again. That was a promise I made to myself at this very moment and whatever else may come in this dark tale the Legendary was telling, that promise would not change.

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**(Misty)**

In any other situation I might have been conscious of the surprised and curious glances from my friends. Right now I frankly didn't care what they thought about the picture Leaf and I had to be giving. I was merely infinitely grateful for her presence and the comfort I could draw from her closeness as I sat leaning against her shoulder, one of her arms around me.

It was a safe haven. The excitement of the brief battle outside had allowed me to suppress the memories of what happened in Cerulean for just that small moment but it had hardly been enough. _I wonder if anything will ever be enough to make them go away._ I had barely slept and definitely not peacefully. Every time I closed my eyes I would see the burning city, the destruction wrought... the bodies. And almost every time I would see Aisha's teary face when we had discovered that her family apparently had not been among the survivors. Granted, it had only been a few minutes outside the city until Mew had whisked us away again, so I retained a brief glimmer of hope. Yet, even that was growing smaller with every moment. Realistically I knew that the chances of someone being alive who wasn't with the people rounded up by Team Rocket were slim to non-existent.

Leaf had always been there. I was sure she could and perhaps should have other things to do – especially to sleep herself considering how long she must have gone without. However, every time I had woken up screaming and shaking and just wanting to crawl somewhere into a deep, dark hole, she had been there. Just like now and that's why I didn't care. After all I wasn't afraid to admit my feelings for her and her presence wasn't just comfort but also a blanket to cover and quench the flames of anger I could feel ready to consume me.

Everyone had been sympathetic and I welcomed it. Ash and Brock had been especially concerned about my health and state of mind. They still were I could tell. The same could go for Dawn or Brock's girlfriend once she woke up – that bit of information had actually made me completely forget my own troubles for a single moment! Even May, exhausted and clearly shaken from her experience, had taken her time to come and offer her support.

Perhaps the most surprising and shocking among the people offering sympathy had been Jessie, James and Meowth. Their presence at the battle had already made me curious but honestly there had been no time to wonder or ask... or even care about the why. They had not stayed for long after the conclusion, saying that Giovanni would probably look for them now, too, and until they figured out what to do from now, they wanted to hide somewhere until everything blew over. But they had stayed long enough to offer an apology to me and admit that they had had no idea about Team Rocket's actual target, otherwise they would have said something sooner. It was hard to be angry with them after that or just stick them together with the rest of the organization that had laid waste to my home. Regardless, I think it was better that they left. Their presence, defected or not, would have only served to remind me more of what had happened.

The reactions of everyone were touching and while part of me didn't really want anyone's sympathy, I did appreciate it nonetheless. Yet, nothing managed to make me feel more secure and stifle the righteous fury inside me as much as the comfort of my girlfriend.

Mew's story further helped in this distraction. It gave me something to focus on. After all I only knew the bare essentials from Leaf who in turn had heard them from Zoroark. However the Dark-type Pokémon apparently only knew parts of the whole thing.

I was not scared of what was going to come. Or perhaps it would be more adequate to say that I did not care whether or not I was scared. The coming battles would be a chance to vent all that frustration and anger I carried inside, and the helplessness of barely being able to do anything for my home. They would pay dearly for this. Rationally I knew that entertaining such thoughts was dangerous but I couldn't help myself and I doubted anyone could blame me in this situation.

The ones responsible for this atrocity had to be brought to justice. Not just for my own satisfaction and peace of mind but also before they could do what they did to Cerulean to other homes and other people as well. Part of me still couldn't believe they would go this far. Mindless destruction and cold-blooded murder. It was a rude awakening to reality indeed.

And hearing Giovanni dub the whole thing "righteous" had been the final blow that smashed apart the chains holding my fury intact. This madman had to be stopped. Whether or not he was controlled by some ancient, old evil didn't matter at all and I didn't think it made any difference on his character.

No, I would not rest until the "Cerulean Massacre" – as the first press releases apparently had dubbed it – was properly avenged. If our destiny, fate or whatever it was allowed me to do just that, then I welcomed it gladly.

"In its last conscious moments before reaching a state of merging completely with the world's nature, Zero left us with a prophecy of the future. A prophecy that would determine whether the balance we had so carelessly destroyed would be regained or not."

That was the part I had heard about the most. In fact Zoroark knew little more than parts of the prophecy and a general, very broad version of the ancient history. The Fox Pokémon despite all its power was not technically a Legendary, perhaps something in between. His knowledge was limited but it had apparently been enough to put Leaf on the right track and from there seek us all out to better prepare us for that day... As much good as that had done.

No, I shouldn't think like that. Certainly I would be dead by now if not for everything she had shown me in that brief time we had known each other. None of us might be sitting here now and I was certain that if not for her... preparations, we wouldn't be remotely ready to face the challenges ahead even if we would have somehow made it to this point alive.

But we had. I was still alive. Ash and the others were still alive. In that Team Rocket had failed and they would soon come to regret that failure, even if it was the last thing I ever did.

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**(May)**

A small shiver ran down my spine and I leaned a little closer into Ash. I couldn't help a small smile at the reassuring tightening of his arm or the squeeze from Dawn's hand in mine. It was clear they already knew all this and probably had gone through the same reactions.

I had been too busy with the Contest and everything that happened with Ash and Dawn to really pay attention. In the back of my mind I knew there was some greater meaning behind the presence of the Legendary. However, I did not want to deal with it then. Now I had to and after what had happened this morning, my own reaction was clearly different from what it would have been before then.

"I will spare you the details right now for a time when everyone is more... awake." Light chuckles all around, even I couldn't help it. Despite the serious way Mew was presenting her story, clearly affected by a heavy heart, I could tell already that the small Legendary Pokémon was generally a rather easygoing individual.

"The core essence is this. In a time long after that point, the seal that we wove to contain IT would begin to weaken. In this time, however, six humans would be born with a degree of NRE that when combined was never before seen in any human or Pokémon alive. These six humans would each be gifted with a connection to one of the core natural elements of this world. Air..." Her gaze was fixed on Ash. "Water." Now Misty. "Earth." Brock. "And Fire." Even though expecting it, I felt myself recoiling a little under the intense gaze. "As well as the higher elements of Shadow and Light." Here she looked at Leaf and finally Dawn in turn.

For a moment Mew paused in her narrative to allow us to absorb things. It was clear what would come next. Anyone would be able to tell from this point and... it frightened me. A few weeks ago, in the middle of my training with Maylene, I might actually have felt elated at the idea. I had felt ready to take on the world then. And when I had rescued the family during the kidnapping incident at Jubilife, I had only been confirmed in this confidence.

Almost dying had a way of putting things into perspective. Yes, sure, I had done it to protect Dawn and would gladly always do it again if it came down to them or myself. But had I actually achieved anything? Had Brock and everyone else not shown up, my actions would not have protected any of them. So ultimately I hadn't been strong enough. Strong enough to prove my worth to them.

"Many of us were doubtful and reasoned that IT should be our responsibility. However, Zero was adamant. Only those six, he said, would be able to completely remove this stain on our history and return the balance within nature that we had so carelessly destroyed."

I wanted to deny it but the experience had left a mark in my heart. Was I truly ready for something like this? What Mew was saying was essentially that the future of our world was now in our hands. Mine? It felt unreal and I couldn't help but wonder if I was really qualified for something like that.

The thought of being scared was the worst though. I hated myself for being so weak all of a sudden. *If you are defeated, it only means that you need to be stronger. If you live to remember, then you have never truly lost.* That had been one of Maylene's favorite lines. I should be able to overcome this. I wanted to be stronger, strong enough for the two people who had offered their hearts to me even though I should have been nothing but an intruder on their happiness. I needed to be strong enough so that something like today would not happen again. And that was why I hated that part of myself that wanted to run away and have nothing to do with all of this.

And so I kept quiet. I wouldn't have been able to decide whether to be curious, upset, angry, elated or frightened anyway. Brock was quiet as well, considering some of his initial insistence for answers. The events of the night and morning had clearly shown all of us how serious this was and that it was far past the point where either of us could turn away, regardless of everyone's individual feelings.

Looking to my left and right, I felt some of my anxiety immediately dampen. I wasn't alone either. They were there. The two people my heart had fallen so heavily, desperately and utterly for. I wasn't sure just where exactly this... relationship was going to end up. Just like Dawn said, there were no guarantees. But they had given me hope and I had to believe in it. My only new and remaining concern now was whether or not we would even have the time to explore our feelings for each other.

"And so we had to resign ourselves to watch and wait. As the world began to recover, we took on a guiding role. We resolved not to interfere in the evolutions of either species, only appearing when the situation would become most dire. Shamed by the consequences our actions had evoked, we did not dare involve ourselves, even when humanity began to rise again and start to devise ways of taming Pokémon. To us, such ways – as long as they did not reach levels of widespread abuse and oppression – were preferable, if it helped preserve a balance of power between the races."

I couldn't even imagine what it must have been like. My own feelings right now felt meager and ridiculous compared to what Mew and her friends had to go through. I dared not even imagine what it had to be like, to be responsible for such an irreversible change to nature. That there was such a dark tale behind the history of our world was hard to believe. That our Pokémon that we loved and shared so much with now had such an origin was almost inconceivable. But in the end I wonder if it really mattered.

"Only when Poképolis rose to power and became too greedy, starting to play with the laws of nature much like we had done so long ago, did we intervene. Knowing we could no longer merely watch, some of us began to take a more active, guiding role to ensure peace between our races. From the ashes of Poképolis the modern system was slowly developed, culminating in the formation of the Pokémon League in an effort to better bring our two races together. We shared parts of our history and knowledge and as more and more humans capable to harness NRE appeared, even taught some of them in the hopes of achieving a basis for us to coexist in harmony."

I didn't think they had done a bad job of it either. No, it really didn't matter to me where Pokémon came from. The bond we had was real enough and something I never wanted to miss again. Idly my free hand stroked through Naru's fur, the young Eevee comfortably resting in my lap. Her declaration still echoed in my heart and I was certain that it would help drive me forward in the coming days because I knew how much it had taken for her to say these words.

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**(Ako)**

As a child I had loved fantasy tales. The Elder would often read the village children stories and I always loved those about princes and princess, about magic and heroes saving the world best. They portrayed a sense of hope contrasting the world around us at that time. They allowed a brief escape into a world where not everything was as poor and bleak as in Aprico Village. The preference had stuck and when I came to Heal Bell and could actually afford it, had often allowed myself the small pleasure of a book or would watch movies of the same genre.

But just like the genre's name said, these were fantasies. While right here one such seemed to be right in front of me, seemed to even tangent me in a not so small although not quite direct way, this was still reality. And reality always was far crueler than the stories. Had I already forgotten that in the peacefulness and shelter of Heal Bell?

In the stories there seldom were deaths, especially not in such a fashion. If there were, they had meaning, they were glorious. Neither of that could be applied to what happened in Kanto and especially Cerulean today. Poor Misty. I didn't even know the girl who was one of Brock's oldest friends and I wondered if I would ever get to know her now. Experiences like this shaped people. I had come to the same realization just a short while ago during the forest fire incident in my home village.

So much had happened already in less than a few weeks since leaving the sanctuary of Heal Bell. Just about a year ago I could have scarcely imagined where I was right now. Tucked away comfortably inside the academy, with no real desire to leave. Then I had met Brock and everything started to change.

And that's why all this did involve me, too. Maybe I was just the sidekick, one of the heroes' girlfriends, yet even those roles were important in the stories, right? Maybe I couldn't do much but I had promised myself that what happened with Altaria would not happen again. That I would grow stronger, strong enough to prevent unnecessary deaths like this.

And maybe that's why I actually spoke up when no one else dared. Maybe or maybe not. Honestly I couldn't quite say what possessed me. Me who had the least direct involvement with this story as it seemed. Perhaps that was part of it, too. Just... I guess it surprised me as much as everyone else. So did the exact question formed. From all the things I could have asked, it was that?

"Um, you always say IT. Does IT have no real name?" I shrunk a little under the looks everyone were giving me. Brock was perhaps the most startled because he knew me so well. I couldn't really fault him. What exactly possessed me to ask this of all things. And Mew... There was a moment of pure loathing in those otherwise clear and pure eyes. I shifted uncomfortably. "I just mean... Always referring to another creature as 'IT' seems awfully inconvenient."

As soon as it had appeared Mew's anger vanished and her expression softened. "We refuse to refer to IT as anything else. To us IT is a trauma, a product of our own failure and selfishness. IT is not even anything remotely to be regarded as a life form. Malevolence is all IT knows. Death, discord and hate is all IT is interested in. IT might be in League with Giovanni right now but that is mostly a matter of convenience. IT has no desire that matches Giovanni's own ambition and will turn on him as soon as he no longer serves a use." She took a deep breath. The anger was still there in her voice, something you wouldn't think the Legendary capable of at first glance or even after a longer time. "But, if you must have something for reference... Later when scholars I briefly worked with invented the modern system of categorizing Pokémon and giving them numbers, one of the few that knew about the true history would refer to IT as Missigno. The missing number. A phantom that should not have ever existed. Incomplete and as vile as a virus. I always found it a rather apt name."

And that pretty much closed the topic right there. It was clear enough that Mew did not want to talk about this anymore than necessary right now. However, it seemed my question had at least broken the somber mood and uncomfortable silence after the end of the narrative in which no one dared to ask anything.

It was Ash that spoke next, voicing what probably was on everyone's mind. "Maybe you should explain what we are supposed to do next? You told Dawn and I that our powers are sleeping and that we have to awaken them somehow but never quite how."

Mew nodded at this. "Of course. Everyone should understand one thing first, however. You are not the only people to be born with a high amount of NRE potential or even the only ones that have within you the potential to harness an element. However, what you must and have the potential to achieve is complete mastery of one given element. You cannot achieve this alone. Or at least you wouldn't be able to until you are old and grey and it would be long too late to be of any use."

Everyone chuckled awkwardly at that. "So we have devised a way for you to unlock and harness the powers sleeping within you right now. Each natural element has several nexus points all over the world. We have used those in this general region – with that I mean Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh – to construct the original seal for IT. One of us has taken up a kind of guardian role at each of these points. To gain the power you need to face IT, you must go to each of these points and face the trial of the one guarding that part of the seal. Only by gaining their approval will you be able to unlock that which sleeps inside all of you to its fullest potential. Be warned, however, my brothers and sisters are not all as kind as I am. They have spent all this time in silent vigil and many have grown either bitter or at the very least somewhat... eccentric. You will have to convince them that you are worthy before they will help you."

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**(Leaf)**

Personally I found the part about world history the most interesting. I knew about the ties between the Pokémon League and the Legendaries but not how all of this came to be. I suppose if not for what was happening I might have been told eventually. While I wouldn't call myself a scholar, I had always been somewhat fascinated and curious about the history and origin of people and objects alike.

However, as fascinating as it was to hear, my attention was split or more like dominated by my girlfriend. Her mood had not been getting better and I couldn't really blame her. I still vividly remembered that short time after we had made our escape thanks to Mew's timely intervention and rested a little ways outside the city along with some of the scattered survivors.

**Flashback**

The place was a larger strip of rocky terrain along the river, just a few miles outside of the city. I had expected more patrols but it seemed all of Team Rocket's forces had been deployed and focused on the city itself. Well... considering it was clearly not an attempt for a takeover, I could understand that at least.

This was fortunate to us and the people that had escaped as well. I doubted it was a smart or calculated maneuver that seemed to have split the escape group up, probably all over the place. It was nonetheless a good idea. So far no pursuit seemed to be coming. And halfway through our own mad escape, I had gotten a good idea why. Communications had pretty much been reestablished. The main channel for the League's forces was awash with all sorts of reports, demands and questions. What little I could filter out, however, was that apparently Cerulean had not been the only target, just the main one and that the forces on the other sites were pulling away. Which would mean the one in Cerulean could not afford to stay much longer either. Even if it was too late to save anything now, the League could not afford to just idly sit by.

I had conveyed as much to the people we had found here and told them to sit tight and wait it out. Relief forces would not be long off now. That was all the attention I could give them. As a Master I probably should do more but I couldn't help but worry almost exclusively about Misty.

With the fighting and even the escape now over, the naked reality about what had happened was finally starting to catch up to her. And just as it did, she had learned about Aisha and her missing parents. I had pointed out that these weren't the only survivors – unfortunately it was the majority and the younger girl had tearfully insisted that her parents were smart and would not go off on their own.

It had been a small mercy that the girl had once more given in to her own exhaustion shortly after, mercifully resting against the side of Zoroark who had taken a silent vigil over her which I was quite grateful for.

Of course, that finally left Misty to her own thoughts and I did not need to be able to mind-read to guess what was going on inside her. Guess, sympathize, yes... Understand? I wasn't sure if anyone who had never gone through something like this could truly understand.

Damn it. I should have never left!

Without a word, I sat down next to her and gently but insistently pulled her into my arms. There were no words spoken for a long time and there were none either needed or helpful. What I could do, the only thing I could do, was to be there for her and I could just as easily let her know like that without any empty platitudes. It did not take long for the wetness to stain my own shirt, her composure finally breaking.

And all I could do was stroke her hair and let her cry.

**End Flashback**

The interruption came all too soon after that when Mew had apparently picked up on Dawn's distress. I had been prepared to go alone but Misty had been adamant. I couldn't get the look she had given me out of my mind. It wasn't so much the desperation, the distress or the fear of losing even more people she cared about today – something she voiced quite vocally –, it was the fierce fury that I could see somewhere deep inside. And it had scared me. It scared me because I had seen other people, good people, consumed by their grief and anger until they only lived exclusively for revenge. I would like to think that Misty was a reasonable enough person and that she could deal with it in time. The beginning of the attack had not even been an entire day off yet. Coming to terms with it would take even longer. Yet still, I could not help but feel worried for her state of mind. Worried and in the end helpless other than to provide her with the comfort she needed.

Forcefully I tore my attention away from my girlfriend when the narrative ended and turned to what we were supposed to do now. Zoroark had had little insight on this part and I had always wondered about the specific process. I did not particularly like the direction this was taking either, even if I had almost expected it. Running around all over the place while Team Rocket was already beating the drums of war was not exactly going to be pleasant. Part of me wanted to ask why we couldn't have done this earlier. Why wait until now? I kept silent, however, having figured part of the answer to that out myself. Even starting a year ago, I doubted hardly anyone would be ready for whatever trials Mew was hinting at. There obviously was more and I had a feeling I would learn of that reason very soon anyway.

"Time will be an important factor and so we will probably have to split up rather sooner than later. Before that, however, I believe it would be best to start with the Seal of Light. Since it is my given element and to be frank I see no need to further test Dawn at this point, this will make a good example of what lies in store for all of you."

That at least made some sense and I could even agree with that logic. If it wasn't for one detail at least that I dreaded. "And where would that be?"

Mew did not reply immediately but her expression told me everything I needed to know even before she gave an answer and I unconsciously tightened my embrace around Misty.

"Cerulean Cave."

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**(Ash)**

The excitement over that last announcement had been kept at a minimum. Not that anyone could fault the reasoning Mew gave. Neither the initial one nor the somewhat harsher one that was brought up when the question about the safety of going to Cerulean now had eventually come up.

*There is no better time than now. Team Rocket is done there and has pretty much pulled out completely. With relief forces all over the place and investigations under way, it will never be safer to go than now.* Mew had clearly debated at that point whether or not be frank but in the end had said it anyway. *And you all need to see. Some of you have already gotten an idea what the coming battles will involve, what will be at stake. To fully understand this weight, you all need to carry now, I believe it is best if you confront this reality... now."

And that had effectively ended the talk right there, definitely leaving behind a sullen and dark mood. It was probably the worst for Misty. I wanted to do something for her but really wasn't sure what would be appropriate or even effective. Besides, Leaf seemed to take on that job as well as anyone else could have.

Right now I wished that I could actually feel more surprise and wonder about that development but it seemed all so insignificant after the events of this day. It was a weight, yes. A heavy burden that was placed on our shoulders. I had known that sooner and definitely in more detail than anyone else. Yet, it wasn't until today that the true seriousness and severity of this task that was placed before us became truly apparent to me.

Almost losing May, learning about Cerulean. Reality was far crueler than ominous warnings, theories or prophecies. They had a way to drive home the true essence of the situation. And this situation had escalated rapidly into exactly that state. From weeks of preparation, hearing Mew's tales and learning some new tricks, this had just been the prelude. The true beginning had caught up and hit us like a Pidgeot at top speed, applying Extremespeed for good measure. It was too much to really come to terms with, not even after some hours of rest.

All I knew was that we could not walk away. Not even if we wanted to, not even if we were scared – which I was sure all of us were to some extent for different reasons. Because there were also reasons to fight and I did not just mean the simple ones like that Team Rocket basically had already declared war and since all of us loved Pokémon, it was already our fight as well. No, in the end what happened in the last twenty-four hours had struck everyone in some way and now none could walk away anymore. Be it revenge, justice, a wish to restore peace. Team Rocket had already carried the fight to us. Walking away was impossible.

I found them back outside on the cliff, the very site that had almost ended in such a tragic loss. One that I was sure I would have never forgiven myself for. Seeing May like that had made it painfully obvious how insignificant and unimportant my insecurities about the arrangement beginning to develop between us were. That did not make it automatically better or easier but I couldn't deny anymore that obviously something was there, much like Dawn had always insisted. And certainly more than I had believed to be left of some of my old feelings for May had remained.

I certainly did not want to experience what I had in that moment ever again. And if facing some kind of destiny to ensure that they were safe, then I would do it and I would not stop until I succeeded.

"You know you were supposed to be resting," I tried to sound mildly admonishing but it failed to hold out for even a moment as I slid next to the two girls and simply slipped one arm around both of them, drawing as much comfort and calm out of their presence as they clearly did. I couldn't really sleep much either. And we had used the first break for that fairly well anyway, probably better than Misty who still looked as ragged as she had after the battle at this very place. Somehow I doubted it would change much after tonight.

Neither Dawn nor May replied and it wasn't necessary. There wasn't really anything to say. The sun had already submerged halfway into the ocean. The day had been a clear and bright one, almost mocking the tragedy that had struck Kanto and sent a shockwave throughout the rest of the world. We simply sat in silence for several minutes while watching the sun starting to disappear beneath the waves more and more. A swarm of Pokémon passed by and here and there a Water Pokémon could be seen below, emerging among the waves.

May's voice was soft when she spoke. She already looked much healthier now. "It's beautiful. Why would anyone want to destroy this? What does it matter how Pokémon came to be? I didn't even particularly like Pokémon when I started out either but there are so many wonderful things I have experienced because of them that I am sure I would have never been able to without."

"You know," I answered eventually after exchanging a look with Dawn, "Dawn and I used to ask ourselves the same thing. What does it all matter? After today I really like to say that I hate Team Rocket and especially their boss for what they did but part of me almost feels sorry for them. That they can't see all the good that is there. That they obviously never had the chance to make such wonderful experiences with Pokémon as we had."

"I'm not sure about the feeling sorry part but I agree on the rest." I turned, surprised at the voice and finding not just Leaf but everyone else of our small group standing behind us. Obviously we all had the same idea. "The world as it is, is beautiful and just because a few radical people think differently, that does not mean they can decide for all of us. And that's why we have to fight. Not for a prophecy or world peace or something... But to protect that which is precious to us, right?"

Misty nodded at her side while Brock smiled slightly. I could feel May's tension lift and her gaze seemed more determined, less intimidated and insecure. Really, Leaf had a way with words. She had always been someone quick to adapt to a new situation. From our very first meeting onwards she had always been quick on the comeback.

The one who had the final words, however, was not Leaf. No, it was Dawn who stood and turned to the others; solemn, determined and with an inner strength I had seen her develop over the entire time we had been together but that had never been as strong or pronounced as in this very moment.

"Then let us make a promise. No, let us make a vow here. That no matter what comes, we will not give up hope, we will not stop believing in ourselves and our bonds with Pokémon. That is what is driving us forward. Not a prophecy or ancient history like Leaf just said, but for our friends, the beings we love, whether they be human or Pokémon." She held out her hand.

I smiled proudly as I placed mine on top without hesitation, May just a moment behind. One by one everyone followed and we would remain like that for quite awhile longer until our attention was drawn once more skywards. The last light from the sun had just disappeared and no longer dimmed the beautiful yet ominous spectacle of the rising moon glowing in a strong and radiant purple.

It was the moment that sealed our fate. There would be no turning back after this, everyone knew, it needed not be said. This vow made under the rising Purple Moon, it truly was...

The point of no return.

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END ARC 2

To Be Continued in Arc 3

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**Author's Notes**

And that's it. The real end of Arc 2. I'm not sure if I am entirely satisfied, so... I didn't manage to do a couple of things I wanted or the way I wanted them. However, I suppose it was passable enough that I can approve of what I did.

I will be taking a break from TFSTTM Reloaded for now. First and foremost to plan out Arc 3. Up to this point I could write it by ear mostly but I'm sure some of you could tell that I was awkwardly dancing around some subjects, especially the exact prophecy and such. Before I get down how everything is going to happen from now until the end, I wouldn't even dare continue.

Secondly, Maia and I do want to do something else. At the moment this seems to be Facets of Magic, so we invite everyone interested to take a look. The prologue is out already and we are currently working ourselves through the first of two planned Preludes. It's slow-going and at first I had to discard some scenes utterly dissatisfied and started over again. But now we seem to be going somewhere at least. Not sure yet if we'll stick though but it seems rather likely.

This arc has been a lot of fun to write, even if it took much longer than expected – not that that is new for me. ^_^ I thank everyone for the support, consistently or not. For a project I started more to get back into writing, TFSTTM Reloaded has become something far greater and you guys have no small part in this because I'm sure I would have dropped it somewhere in between if not for the encouraging feedback. So... don't be shy to leave some more of it, even if you have something to criticize. As long as its constructive I can take it all in stride.

I do plan to finish this story, especially for all the loyal readers. When I start Arc 3 I can't say yet, but it will definitely be there. I've put too much effort into this over the last one and well, almost half a year now to let it fall by the wayside.

With that, we say goodbye for now. Hopefully we'll be able to see some of you for whatever else we will be working on next and that you stick around until Arc 3 comes.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias aka MysticMew and Maia


	34. 03P: Preparations

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Third Arc, Prologue

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Beta

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn(/May?), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

Another year, another arc for TFSTTM Reloaded. This is becoming a theme... Honestly, I did not mean to leave you hanging for that long. Maia seems to constantly hibernate in winter though... And for quite some time. Brainstorming was going slow until recently but now I have at least reached a point where I feel comfortable at starting and not messing up things.

Before everything else though. Two important points.

First. The first two arcs have undergone an overhaul. Mostly cleanup, some sentences being straightened out, an opening sequence added and all that stuff. It should be more fluent now, I hope. So if you want to reread to catch up for the new arc, feel free to do so. Another revision might not be coming soon. I have also slightly adjusted my formatting. For one that is because of the known issues but also because this way makes it easier to create flawless html (not the word garbage) by hand with a few quick search and replace actions. For more info on this, click back to the first chapter, I have added a longer note regarding this there.

Second. My archive has undergone an overhaul by the point you are getting this and you will find my new blog under: (hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de and the new archive site at (hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net. Each and every update will go there and this time I really mean with greater priority. I hope that with a blog, more people are going to leave comments directly and I can gain some independence from the frustrating system of ff . net. So I ask you, if you really like this story or my writing in general, to follow this blog. It will be updated more frequently with news, updates among a lot of other stuff that I am planning to add. The archive will still exist as a backup for the stories, articles and other stuff though, but following the blog will get you all the necessary links you need.

As for me... Well, still no work yet. Against my initial better judgment (about quality) I have began a long-distance course as an online editor in April. Meaning I'm nearing the half mark. It's going fairly well, although I really do know most of the stuff discussed in the first books. And I am doing non-paying work as an editor for Germany's biggest anime internet radio, NSW-Anime. So between all that, I AM quite busy, which in the long run will probably affect update rates for this.

Finally, I have one last issue to address. Funnily enough, I have the most interesting and longest exchanges with readers that are upset with the Ash/Dawn/May-angle. Just recently one was sparked again from a pure Pearlshipper. Not that it was harsh or meaningless, I just find that point interesting. However... I will say this now ONCE and never again. In fact I will not respond to any such comments or reviews again from now on, so read and understand.

My pairing choices are MINE. They are not open for debate. I am as much susceptible to being a hardcore pure shipper of some pairings than most of you. I do also hunt for specific pairings (which ff . net now made even harder!) and will probably turn away from some. However, recently I have also come to the conclusion that such actions are not exactly productive since you deprive yourself of a lot of potential quality. What I especially cannot understand is leaving a story, one finds extremely good and well-written, midway just because they cannot stomach the direction a pairing may take. If you are like that, then that's your choice, of course. I do appreciate you leaving a review or comment or whatever if you do so, but don't expect me to change anything just to please your tastes. And if you want to complain about it... well, I would rather much you tell me what I could do better to make the development of a pairing more realistic and comprehensive. That would be time much better spend for either of us.

The morale of this... I have taken a bit of a dislike to pure shippers lately. Especially hardcore ones that cannot look past that one pairing. Do not expect me to comment on this again. If you want to leave constructive criticism on HOW I am portraying and developing a pairing (either good or bad), that is much more appreciated.

That being said... I can already see what will happen once Windragon66 reaches the end of arc 2. I was seriously contemplating removing his review (which would be a first for me) since it was really quite... offensive (not quite flamey, just language and shouting and well... read yourself) but I know he will probably disappear right at the point he realizes May's role.

Sorry for being so long-winded about this. I didn't even make much of a point... ;) I know a lot of you are just reading and enjoying the story for what it is and that I appreciate. Only the kind of people who are so diehard on a pairing that they want to see it in EVERY story gets on my nerves. Pearlshipping is fairly widespread by now, so they should just go elsewhere, if they don't like my direction.

Of course, I realize that my initial arc could be seen as misleading since the May-angle was only hinted at in the very end. All that was meant to be that way though**. **As such I hesitate to take advantage and add May to the character listing on ff . net (now that I can) and probably won't. It is supposed to be a surprise, a development the readers are meant to be experience and learn of along with the characters. If I make it clear from the beginning, it will take away much of the development. And the only real problem this will create is with pure shippers anyway.

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**IMPORTANT**

**Again, I would be very glad for visitors to my new blog since my fanfiction are only going to be the jumpstart for this. I plan to add a lot of other things including news, articles (or perhaps more like essays) on various topics regarding anime, manga, games and fanfiction that interests me. So aside from staying updated on the progress of my work, you will get something more out of it. This is my first blogging experience though, so please be gentle with me as I am still learning all the features.**

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**Time and Location Unknown (Mew)**

Such destruction. To think the power of nature in the hands of intelligent beings could result into something like that. I remembered this being a very fertile place until not too long ago. A place where we had often met, where our small community had grown and our dreams connected. It had been in an innocent desire, a righteous wish... or so we had thought.

What trees remained of the forest surrounding the small mountain were almost lifeless, blackened in many places, just barely hanging by. The ground would be unfertile for years, perhaps even centuries too come. Maybe it would not ever again produce the lush green and the ambivalent life it had before.

The effects spread even further than that. Deep into the ground, up into the air where sharp winds howled and thunder echoed, and over the sea where the waves raged and even more lightning lit up a blackened sky.

Our sanctuary had transformed into this nightmare.

It had all been necessary. We had no one to blame but ourselves. No matter the reason, no matter the idealistic wish to protect our kind. What we had done had been far and beyond our understanding and we should have known better. This outcome was our just punishment.

"It is time. We have to finish stabilizing the seals."

I looked up, seeing that the familiar voice came of a large bird with rainbow-colored feathers. It seemed the other five had joined me on top of the mountain. Yes, it was time. There was no point in dwelling here, lost in what was and could have been. That route was forever closed.

"I still don't like this plan," interjected the deep voice of the shadowy being, floating just a little off to the side. He always made me rather uncomfortable, although that had nothing to do with his gruff character. That was all in his nature and he had always been loyal to our cause. The real reason probably lay in the fact he was my polar opposite now. "We shouldn't rely on humans to do our work."

I glared at him slightly, tired of the argument, obviously he couldn't leave it without at least a last reminder of how he felt about it. "If we could have handled it, then we wouldn't have needed to seal IT. Those were his predictions, are you doubting his ability?"

My opposite growled at the jibe but before he could continue, another of our group interjected. The white dragon/bird with wings shaped like hands had always been the voice of reason, the wise and tempered one, yet still potentially fierce when angered. "We have all agreed on this plan. Zero's precognitive abilities are beyond question. I do not believe the Lady Mew feels too eager about it either. This matter is our responsibility, yet for now this is all we can do."

My opposite grumbled. "I'm just saying that there is no reason we cannot grow strong enough to deal with it ourselves." And they were both right as always. I understood and felt the same, even if for different reasons. This mess was our doing and we should not burden anyone but ourselves. Unfortunately there was no telling how long this seal would hold exactly and what effect it would have on this abomination that we had brought forth. No one could guarantee IT would be weakened. No one could guarantee IT wouldn't be stronger than now!

"These arguments are pointless, we must hurry," the imposing golem spoke up, which in itself was a rare event. "If we remain here any longer, the seal will break." And as always he was the voice of stern and cold logic. Never much for conversation, he only said and did what was necessary, that much at least could be counted on.

Regardless, it seemed my opposite was not quite ready to concede just yet, as he opened his mouth for another argument. That was before the loud, rumbling voice of our last member immediately served to quiet him and smoother the air with its large and powerful presence.

Yellow eyes flashed dangerously as the large serpent uncoiled itself in the air. "Enough of this bickering. Our decision has been made and there is no turning back. We must now do our part so that there is still a future where we can see this atrocity gone from our world, one way or another."

And that ended it right there as we turned as one to do our duty.

**End Flashback**

Yes, it ended. So many things had ended that day and so many more began. Things that just now were drawing to an end again. That new path that started then, was reaching its conclusion, the seeds we had planted that day were about to reach fruition and just as Zero had predicted it would be six humans that would see this through with us.

I just hoped they were ready. The short time of rest did not seem to have done much for them but it was all that had been possible at this point. I believed that each of them was strong enough to succeed in the heavy burden we had to place upon them. The trials ahead, however, and not just from my fellow comrades of old, would push them to their limits and beyond. If anyone could do it though, it should be those six. I had to believe that.

How ironic. That I would so freely place trust in humans now. The long wait had shaped me, driven much of the innocent idealism out of me and opened new perspectives for me. I still believed this should be something that we, who had created this situation in the first place, should ultimately deal with it. Yet, time was running short and I knew that it wouldn't be possible without them. Not now, perhaps it never was.

"Alright, before Cynthia gets here," I addressed the group, noting the various expressions of physical and mental exhaustion and some of the emotional conflicts and traumas. It worried me, but we had no more time. "I'd like to go over the location of the seals and where we will find my brethren." The one thing I hoped was that they would not be too uncooperative after all this time. Certainly these children would have to earn their respect, show that they were ready for the power to challenge our grave mistake from the past. But I feared what time might have done to him.

Many had shared the sentiment that we shouldn't leave the task to humans, albeit the reasons behind this resentment differed. Yet, in the end, we all knew Zero's ability to predict the future was unmatched and couldn't be disregarded. I had had little contact with most of the others and couldn't say how they thought about all this today. The last we needed right now was discord.

Not if these humans truly were meant to be the key to achieving a true balance between our species.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Third Arc: Elemental Trials

Prologue: Preparations

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**Twinheart Island, Kanto (Ash)**

To call the atmosphere somber would be akin to telling me I had won my Champion title with relative ease. Correct to a degree but in the end far away from the actual truth. One could have cut the tension with... well, a dull spoon actually.

The meeting room was small but more than enough for our small group. Yet... Looking around I wondered if anything ever would be alright again anytime soon. The events of yesterday had left deep traces within all of my friends. From their expressions and posture enough, it was obvious neither had slept very well. If at all. And I could easily include myself in that category.

The door hissed open and Cynthia strode into the room. "Good, you are all here." The Grand Champion probably looked like she was the most exhausted. And that from someone as professional of her said a lot about the situation.

From out of everyone it seemed Brock and Ako were among the least affected. The young woman I could understand. She had not experienced any of the confrontation from yesterday. Even being used as a shield and hostage did not really matter if you slept through it. As for Brock... No, I had to correct myself. He hid it well, however, there was no way his fiancée being abducted among all the other things had not shaken him quite a bit.

"I have just spoken to our forces on site. At this point the area is secure and it seems Team Rocket has entirely withdrawn. Unfortunately with such a wide-scale assault, it has been impossible to trace their path. But for now Cerulean should be as safe as it ever could be."

As painful as it was, I almost expected the comment. "It's far too late for that now." The bitterness in my oldest friend's voice cut deeply. Aside from Cynthia, Misty clearly looked the worst. I doubted strongly she had even gotten an ounce of sleep. Frankly, I could very well imagine that she might have rather opted not to sleep. To experience something like this... What would it be like for me? I couldn't even try to think about it and that although I had not the biggest attachment to Pallet after travelling for so long. It was home, however, and to see it destroyed like that...

The idea was inconceivable. Seeing Misty in such a state hurt, yes, but it hurt even more that I felt so powerless to do anything about it. What could I do after all. Turning back time was not something I could do. Right now, all I could do was walk forward and make sure that no more people had to experience what Misty did now.

Cynthia gracefully ignored the scathing remark. "I have secured us transportation. Are you still insistent on going now?"

Leaf squeezed Misty's hand before addressing her fellow Master. "We have to. I don't like this any less than anyone else here but Mew is right. It has to be now. None of the other locations will be easy to reach and take. After yesterday, Team Rocket will not sit idly. They will strike again and this time for real." I saw Misty wince at the choice of words, her free hand clenched. Leaf looked pained as well but she was in her 'professional mode' right now. I wondered if we all had to be like this to overcome the trials ahead?

_Well, it isn't like I'm lacking motivation_, I thought with a glance to my side. Despite the mood I couldn't help but smile fondly. The sight was... different. Definitely not what I would have expected some time ago, definitely not after May's first confession. My doubts weren't erased, of course. As Dawn had said, something like this took time. Neither of us could just snap our fingers and say everything was perfect. That would be nice but I guess without the effort it wouldn't be real either. Right now though, we were still a little under the effects of yesterday. Connecting on such a level to save May's life had made me understand what Dawn had seen before, the depth of feelings May had for both of us. Different for each but equal in strength, how it was tearing her apart. But also how honest these feelings were.

This spiritual closeness had not entirely passed and as such the strange scene next to me could be attributed partly to that. May, who hadn't slept very much either, was snuggled closely to Dawn and my actual girlfriend didn't appear to mind, keeping one arm lightly around the brunette.

No, I had all the motivation I needed to see this through. This... whatever this was or was going to be, I wanted to see it to its conclusion. Even if nothing came off it, May deserved that chance... WE deserved that chance. For that, however, we needed a peaceful world again where no pressure could influence our feelings and choices.

"Alright then." Cynthia's voice jerked me back to the here and now. She took a look at the map where Mew had marked the locations of the seals and I saw her grimace. She knew probably better than anyone how hard it would be to move around between four regions and get to all these places once the fighting really started. "At least that gives me time to arrange some things for now. Right now, I'm afraid only Leaf and Ash would be able to move freely at will. We are in a state of emergency after all and you will all need to be prepared accordingly. I should have proper identification that would give you as much authorization as any of the Elites ready by the time you are done in Cerulean. We will depart in two hours time." Cynthia really was all business and I envied her a little for that ability. For all I had learned in the last year and a half, the calm that being together with Dawn had brought to me, a large part of me still had that urge to go out and fight it out with Team Rocket. We couldn't do that. Not now. Not until we all had awakened our powers.

Just as everyone was about to get up and follow the Grand Champion out of the room, Dawn suddenly spoke up. "I think there is something else we need to do right now." Extracting herself from May for a moment, who had also straightened at the seriousness in my girlfriend's voice. "One thing is clear. This isn't going to be like any other adventure we have ever faced. It's not just about charging straight ahead into danger and saving the world." May chuckled lightly and I had a hard time suppressing a smile myself. Even Misty quirked her lips just slightly. "That is why... If things get tough, we need someone who has final say of how we should proceed. In other words... we need a leader."

That logic was sound and I could even agree... and yet I sweated and gulped a little as everyone almost immediately turned to me.

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**(May)**

"How long will it stay like this?"

I really shouldn't ask. A big part of me didn't want to ask or face the reality that this was nothing but an echo of the powers connected and wielded to bring me back from the brink of death... and I really didn't want to think about that part either.

Chuckling weakly, Dawn didn't make an attempt to change our position though and for that I was grateful. "I'm not sure. Mew said the effects should fade soon. Probably sometime today." I could do with a little longer. I could do with forever. This... closeness was nice. There was nothing forced about it. At least nothing I could detect. This strong sense of rightness was heartfelt, genuine and... wonderful.

However, it wasn't real. Not yet. In a sense this was a lot of a slightly toned down version of what Dawn had made the three of us experience just a little before the Team Rocket agents had attacked. A glimpse of what could be, not what had been achieved already. Achievement after all required effort and that took time.

That they were willing to give this... us a chance should be enough for now. Still, I guess no one could really blame me for the guilty desire of wanting to hang onto this a little longer. And I really wished Ash was here, too. Both their presences had been about the only thing that had enabled me to get at least a little rest. And should I really be thinking that? _Others have it worse than you, May_, I chastised my reaction once more. Poor Misty had her entire home destroyed. How terrible did this have to be? Really I should be more grateful. I had not lost anyone. All the people important to me were still there and I even had the two that meant more to me than anything. Yet here I was lamenting over my close brush with death.

"What was it like?" I found myself asking, without really wanting to. The curiosity was there sure but I really wanted nothing more than to relish in this feeling of closeness. The hour of departure was drawing near though and with that the undeniable reality of our situation. I suppose Dawn could cope with it better since she had known for awhile now. For me it all felt surreal still. Ancient prophecies, mystical powers, an incorporate evil? That was something out of a storybook. Not something that should tangent me directly.

The fingers combing through my hair stopped for a moment but before I had time to really regret my question, they continued again. I looked up from where my head was resting in her lap and saw a mixture of emotions pass over her face, none of them clear enough to make out. The seconds ticked by without an answer and when she finally seemed to settle on one, it didn't look like she was completely satisfied, even if I had to admit her explanation then was rather fitting.

"Enormous." Dawn paused briefly. "I thought I was more ready for it. Mew teaching me, my developing Psychic powers. The gap couldn't have been that great... but I was wrong." Spellbound I listened, seeing clearly now the wonder and the tinges of... not quite fear, but respect that the other girl held at the memory of using her powers to save my life. "If I hadn't been so completely focused on what I had to do then, I don't think I could have handled it. And to think this was just supposed to be the normal state of our powers once we received our blessings..."

Silence reigned after that over a minute at least. I didn't count, enjoying the moment but also thinking deeply about what she had said. There was denying that her words didn't really help my confidence and my fragile heart that was still recovering from almost dying. If someone like Dawn, who had some training at least was so overwhelmed, could I really do the same. Could I make it?

"Are you scared?" And silently I added a "too" as well, not giving myself into the illusion that I could hide my real question and feelings from her. The fading bond was strong enough that even I – inexperienced as I was with these things – could pick up and understand some emotions from Ash and Dawn. To the latter I was probably an open book. "Of wielding all this power. I... It really scares me to think of that and... it scares me to think how hard it has to be for you."

The smile was small but grateful, warm and honest. It was worth all the trouble and enough reason to remind me later of what I was fighting for, what I could have. And not just from Dawn but from Ash as well. "Of course I'm scared. I don't think any of us really imagined having to do something like this. About a year ago, all I wanted to do was to continue to travel with Ash, become the best Coordinator I could and simply enjoy my life. I don't want to fight. But if it's that or seeing everything we hold dear destroyed, then I can find the strength to do so. To protect that, I will go against this, no matter how big it will become."

So radiant. I had seen the spark the first time we met, understood it implicitly, although it took a lot longer to put into words. This here was someone so absolutely beautiful that I couldn't help but fall for her. It had just been a glimmer then; a glimmer that had grown brighter, more pronounced and shaped. Not an overwhelming glare but something warm and inviting. No, I had not made the wrong decision. Even if it would burn me, I could neither give up on that light just as I couldn't give up on what I had carried around in my heart for Ash for so long.

"You are strong. I wish I had half your confidence and resolve." I tried to stop myself but it was just spilling forth. "I tried so hard. I thought I had at least caught up a little with you and Ash. But in the end, thinking that impressing you with growth as a Coordinator would make a difference was stupid after all. Ash has become so much more mature and you are so strong and confident. Compared to that I am... just..."

Suddenly I was yanked up and found myself staring into intensely blazing blue eyes. "You are May. The May who fought me to a draw in one of... no, the damn hardest but also most enjoyable battle on a stage ever. You are the May who resolved a kidnapping and prevented really important information to get into the wrong hands all by herself. But most importantly..."

I stiffened slightly, feeling her arms close around me in a tight embrace. Regardless how much at ease the temporary binding of our hearts had made us, all of us had unconsciously agreed to not cross a certain point. "You are the May who bravely jumped into the path of a Hyper Beam to protect me! There is no reason for you to feel inadequate." This wasn't about being better, less or equal. This time I could hear it clearly, too, and I could feel the honest emotion from Dawn which made me almost choke with tears of my own. I didn't think it could get any more emotional than this.

Once again I was proven wrong. "And I just realized that there is one thing I have not done that I should have long ago and that no matter what else happens, you deserve." My eyes widened when her soft hands were suddenly sliding up against my cheeks, cupping my face. "Thank you." With that she leaned forward to kiss me...

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**(Leaf)**

"I thought you were all professional but it seems even you can get distracted."

I winced at the comment which actually just managed to jerk me out of my thoughts to realize he had been there and talking to me! Sheepishly I scratched my head and at once realized I had to look like him a few years ago while doing so. The small grin was there immediately and I couldn't but grin back.

"I am afraid you have discovered that I am not so perfect after all." While trying to make light of it, I also knew it wouldn't be working very well. We might not have seen each other very much in the last years and we had changed but I'd like to think that at the core we would have stayed the same person. I did not want to seem like a stranger to my best friend at least. Especially now that we finally had some time to talk. Even if once again, it was just a small margin.

"How is she?" Yes, Ash did understand. Not that it was this hard to figure out, but I hoped I had been able to be as convincing as possible. Everyone was already nervous with the situation and as the highest-ranking member of the six of us, I had to at least try and not show my own worries.

"I wish I'd knew what to tell you. She seems okay on the surface but I'm worried what will happen once things get heavy and the first time we'll encounter Team Rocket agents again. We can try and pretend that Misty is strong enough to pull through but the sad truth is... trauma like this can affect even the strongest people."

Ash was silent for a moment, looking out of the window overlooking the southern side of the island. "She got you though. I think Misty knows how much you value her and that should at least give her an anchor." I smiled slightly, wishing I could be so positive. Of course, I wanted to believe the same, however, I had been there. I knew what had happened, seen already what the others had only seen from the footage. That had affected me. And it wasn't even my home.

A change in topic was definitely in order. "I suppose you have no such problem, judging by how relaxed you are with suddenly having the affections of two girls." I snickered at his guilty expression. I knew, of course, most of this had something to do with the healing Dawn had pulled off and that it probably wasn't permanent. A shame really but perhaps better in the long run. "I guess you really are destined to be together." It was meant as a teasing comment but even as I spoke I realized my slip-up. I suppose the entire situation really was getting to me more than I liked, at least that could partly explain my blunder.

"Yes, well, I admit it isn't so impossible as I thought... wait..." Ash was not exactly fast on the uptake either and I had almost thought he hadn't caught the meaning of my sentence. However, this Ash was not the kid from Pallet anymore. He was a seasoned Trainer, a Master even in his own rights and an excellent strategist. And being in a serious relationship for a good year had obviously made him much sharper for other things outside of battle as well.

"You mean... Does this have something to do with this prophecy Mew told us about?" I looked away, fully knowing I was just stalling. Really, it shouldn't be me having this conversation. I only knew the few snippets that Zoroark had known. "Let me guess... I had my fair share of prophecies and I know how this goes. Considering your reaction you basically mean to tell me that this was supposed to happen, that regardless of what we do, this thing with May, Dawn and I will..."

Oh well, someone had to say it anyway. There was no way it wouldn't have come up. I was sure Mew had planned to tell anyone about the full prophecy after our visit to Cerulean anyway and a part of me wasn't sure if the Legendary was really the right person... or life form to explain to them why it wasn't at all what Ash surely was thinking right now.

Holding up a hand, I stopped Ash from getting worked up any more needlessly. "Look. Don't even go there." I shook my head as he started to protest, pinning him down with my sternest look and he eventually wilted, settling down and seemingly willing to listen as well. "This is what I think. First of all, you should know that all this prophecy apparently talks about concerning you three is that you need to be 'united'. That can mean any such thing. Friendship, love, any other form of attachment... that's the funny thing with prophecies. They always have a way of coming true but the road there can be vastly different from what one might first envision. Above else, if you start to see things like destiny and fate as absolutes that already determine everything in your life... what will keep you going? What will have you still making an effort?"

Ash opened his mouth again to answer, then snapped it shut again, obviously struggling to find an appropriate answer. I didn't give him time to make a comeback. Personally I had had my doubts that this thing with May could work out but seeing them now... All I wanted was for my best friend to be happy. Genuinely happy. "If there is such a thing, I believe it is not destiny shaping our actions but rather our actions shaping destinies. I doubt anyone can ever truly give you answer to such questions and that I suppose is why you shouldn't know the future. Mew didn't tell you because of that, I'm sure. You didn't know. May certainly had not even the inkling of an idea. Do you think it was destiny that made her fall in love with both of you? If you do, then you can easily say the same thing about you and Dawn. Do you want to break down your relationship to something that you had no control and conscious choice over?"

This time it was Ash that looked away and I was relieved to see the tension draining from him. "No. I'd never want that." He inhaled deeply, before releasing the breath slowly. "I guess you are right. It doesn't matter what some all-powerful being prophesized about us ages ago." He laughed slightly. "I think even Dawn understands that better than me, which is probably why she was so open to the idea in the beginning." That actually surprised me. Since I had only been there for the dramatic conclusion, I had no idea what had happened before that. That it had been Dawn who had seemingly encouraged Ash to take May's feelings serious was... unexpected. "I guess you really are more mature than me even now. That's why I really think you should be the leader."

Ah, so that was what this had all been about: it seemed I had effectively sidetracked his original intention of seeking me out. Not that I was too surprised really. He had looked rather uncomfortable with the idea. But I also understand why it had to be that way. We were rather similar in many character traits that mattered but Ash was the central figure in our group. Apart from Ako – who wasn't part of the Chosen anyway – all of us were connected together by him. Besides...

"The leader should be the one everyone trusts the most. Most of your friends don't know me that well." I stopped him right as he opened his mouth. "No, no, I don't take offense to that. Besides... you realized it, too, didn't you? When Mew showed us the locations?" He nodded slowly. There was no need to spell it out: we did not have the time to cover all that ground. Giovanni and this Missigno wouldn't sit around waiting and while we were still without our elemental powers, we were vulnerable. That left only one option and that was to split up to cover more ground more quickly. "It is only natural that you are taking Dawn and May with you. This leaves me with the rest. So in the end... we both get to do the hard job."

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**(Brock)**

Last minute checks were something we had been drilled for at the Academy almost every day. For a qualified Field Medic, being prepared was one of the most fundamental necessities. Really, the worst thing that could possibly happen was if we could not help a patient because we lacked the right medicine or tool. And not lacking because it wasn't there but because we simply forgot. Agents out in the field would have no problem getting their supplies filled, including any extra orders as long as it was available. As such, lacking something through simple oversight was a no-go.

With the situation about to deteriorate, it was even more essential to choose carefully what was necessary: who knew if a few weeks or months from here we'd be in a position to get so easily resupplied as would be the case now?

"We should rearrange and split up the necessities. If you take one half of our list and I take the other, we can fit in more," Ako said as she made to reach once more into her supply case. Her nervousness was obvious and I didn't like to see it. A big part of me had still wanted to keep her out of this, it was supposed to be between the six of us. This harebrained plan Mew had for us would only get her in danger I might not be able to protect her from. After all, I had already failed once, twice if you counted her recklessness at Aprico Village. Both times, I had been lucky to prevent the worst in time, yet both times it had hardly been due to my effort to salvage the situation. Next time I might not be that lucky.

Unfortunately I knew it would be a pointless argument. The Ako of a few months ago might have relented. Fearful of conflict and the responsibility of the outside world, she might have listened to my advice. Now, though... Aprico Village had shaped her and while the kidnapping had definitely shaken her, both events had only driven her to a firm, stubborn resolve. I dared not even bring up the question. Despite the short time we knew each other, I understood my fiancée rather well. She wouldn't back out. Not after this.

That made what I knew I had to say to her now even harder. For her and for me.

"Ako." Gently I reached out to grasp her hand and waited until she faced me. Her expression for once was hard to read. The nervousness was there, yes; we had been prepared for hard missions but this was going far and well beyond whatever we had been trained for. Honestly, it should not be something new recruits should face. Unfortunately I had no choice in it and Ako... well, I had just gone over that. "I think it's best that way."

Ako took a glance back at the cases, then returned her attention to me. "R-Really? I thought perhaps... I mean..."

God, this was hard. Why did it have to turn out like this? I wanted to blame someone, anyone. I probably had several candidates as well. However, it was not their fault and it would honestly not matter how it turned out. The end result for us would be the same.

"We can't do that, Ako. You have seen the places we have to travel to. I'm sure Leaf and even Ash are aware of it, too." I wasn't too sure about Misty, she was not exactly in a good state of mind right now and I doubt it would really matter to her anyway. "Team Rocket has made a formal declaration of war. They'll be giving us a few days for cities to respond, a week tops and I doubt that very much. We'll never be able to travel everywhere in that short of time. And once it starts, it'll be even slower going. We..."

"... will have to split up?" I blinked. Her voice was shaky still but also with a sad note of resignation. She knew. She had realized the same thing apparently, once again showing that she was merely lacking a bit in worldly experience, and even that was quickly being filled in. Ako was definitely a quite clever woman and under any other circumstances I would be proud of her. Now though... No, even now I probably should.

"It's okay, Brock. I... I knew it would come to this eventually. The thought was nice, sending us both out together. But that was just for the Contest. I-I can deal with it really. I promised myself I would be stronger, so I have to do what is necessary. After all this is what I have trained for all my life. Having two Field Medics in the same group... is pointless."

Honestly, I wasn't sure if I was glad she was taking this so well or worried. Perhaps a bit of both. Ako had grown quite a bit since we left Heal Bell. Sometimes it didn't seem like last week but more like a few months ago at least. I knew though, I knew how much of a brave front she was putting up.

"Maybe..." I started, suddenly being the one grasping for futile possibilities, and it was Ako this time who squeezed my hand, slowly shaking her head.

"Thank you, Brock. It means a lot to me that you don't want to leave me alone. However... I think... Yes, I think this is for the best. A big part of me wants nothing more than to stay with you, to draw strength and courage from your presence. But, I'll never grow on my own like that either. You've done your best to prepare me after all. Or do you think I'm not ready to be on my own?"

_That's downright unfair_, I lamented. What was I supposed to answer to that? Of course, I thought she was ready. I never doubted that she had the talent and after Aprico Village she had the drive as well. All my misgivings might very well be quite egoistical. Not wanting to let her go, wanting to protect... wanting to prove that I could protect her. Not wanting to be the only one in a group without my significant other present... in the end all those arguments rang hollow and weak. And Ako knew it, too.

So I swallowed my pride, swallowed my impulses. In the end being too driven by such had only brought about the worst scenario. Had I not been so self-centered about wanting to know everything right away, instead of doing what I could, Ako would not have been kidnapped and used as a shield, May wouldn't have almost died. I had to start trusting other's judgments again, including Ako's... and also my own.

"I know... I know you are the bravest and most beautiful woman I have ever been blessed to know. Just... Just promise me that you'll be careful out there. No overly-dramatic heroics... That's not our job." I intended to laugh but the humor stuck in my throat, choked up by emotion. Pulling her close and into an embrace, her head resting on my shoulders, I breathed in that unmistakable scent deeply, trying to burn the memory into my brain. "I love you, Ako."

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**(Naru)**

My senses were by far not as strong like this, as if I had been totally shifted into my Espeon form, but even like this, it was easy to pick up the immense somber atmosphere; downright gloomy actually. Our Trainers almost made an exception to that, even with the events of yesterday morning still fresh. That was a good thing, I suppose; May's condition worried me enough already. She had been almost bi-polar ever since the Grand Festival, swinging between resignation and extreme, almost forced determination. And this near death experience had clearly shaken her up. Leaving her with Dawn right now seemed to be the most calming solution and I didn't mind getting to know my future companions a bit more.

"I still have to thank you properly. Not only did you save my life back then but you have also looked after my sister." He was a strange one, that boy's Pikachu. I could feel the power oozing off of him but also many of his Trainer's traits: easygoing, serious when it mattered, determined to the very end. Yes, my sister had found a good personal Trainer.

Pikachu stopped and scratched himself behind the right ear. "Ah... don't mention it. We are all friends, so it was natural. I'm just glad you guys could find each other. What are the chances, I mean..."

Indeed, what were the chances? I had told May I did not believe in destiny. But to see all of us who were scattered across the land together, all ending up in the care of one of those that had such an important task ahead of them... could this really be coincidence?

Regardless of the answer, the end result was what mattered and for that, for the first time since forever, I was rather happy.

**Flashback**

How long had it been now? Not really that long, I guess. Yet, it felt like a small lifetime. I was trying hard to keep my composure. At least this time. The night before had been too emotional for all of us. I had almost not believed it could happen after all. However, now we were all together again.

What a strange twist.

Genki and Leafeon were curled up against each, the young Vaporeon in between them. Glaceon had joined Espeon and Jolteon, the other pair that had found each other a little prior to this occasion. Perhaps it was not so strange after all. We had all been looking for each, except for Glaceon who had not been born then and young Vaporeon who had been too young to remember.

"Looks like our family is together again." I looked over at Shadow, still rather... weirded out by the fact that she was supposed to be one of my younger sisters. That was probably why I hadn't recognized her from that video May had shown me from the Sinnoh Final. The connection was simply impossible to make. Without meeting face-to-face and the special bond we all shared as sisters, there was no way I would have accepted the reality yet either.

"You still owe us an explanation, how it is that you are so..." Yes, what exactly? Experienced? Mature? Or...

"Old?" Shadow chuckled quietly. "Guess you are not the big sister anymore." I glared at the dry humor but after awhile allowed myself a small smile. I just couldn't stay mad or even grumpy. Not right now. My family was together again and faster than I had expected. I could allow myself to enjoy that much at least. "Honestly," my sister continued. "I do not know. I remember fleeing like everyone else. I think I collapsed at some point and when I woke up, I was near Pallet where that Professor found me. I didn't realize until much later that the years didn't match up. It's not like we had any understanding of human time measuring."

That much was true. And I doubted I would have coped much better. No, perhaps I would have but only because of this accursed power of mine. For a young Eevee that had just escape horrible captivity, there was no way she could have realized something was amiss.

And I did believe her. After all, ever since meeting with May and Glaceon, I had been thinking about it. "You are not the only one it seems." I cast a look over my other sisters. The differences were more subtle but if I took all their different stories they didn't quite match with what I had expected. All of them had been of the same litter. Glaceon had been the last that had still had to hatch and the time between that and my meeting with her and May had always felt slightly... off. There were slight age differences in all of them, just none of them as obvious as with Shadow.

It was like someone had scattered us not only all over the regions but also through time itself. I did not want to believe it but... what other explanation was there?

"Does it really matter?" Shadow asked. "We are together again. And it seems we have all lucked out." Or whoever had displaced us, did so deliberately in such a fashion that we would end up with our current Trainers. But Shadow was right, the important thing was that were together again, away from Team Rocket...

And yet not completely free of them either. "You are right. And that's not what I want to talk about. We need to decide what to do from here on."

**End Flashback**

That everyone had decided to continue staying with their current Trainers and aiding them in the upcoming fight, even if it meant going up with those that we had been running away from, was an unanimous decision in the end. Of course, this was hardly about us any longer, I doubt at this point it was even about me, their plans were far bigger. And naturally I worried for my sisters – except Shadow –, if they were ready for this. Staying out of it was out of the question as well. They had done too much for us and even I had made up my mind. Seeing May almost die had made me realize just how good she had been for me. Without her, I would have lost myself in either hatred or despair. I would fight for her, even if it meant going up against them.

Besides, what better sort of revenge was there than to help thwart their ultimate goals which no doubt they had meant for me to play a part in as well?

"Well, we all decided to stick around, so you are not going to get rid of us so easily." I wouldn't have made a lighthearted comment like that some time ago, yet another thing to thank May for. It wasn't all her though. Part of it was because of my current companion as well. There was something about this Pikachu – aside from all obvious traits – that piqued my interest and I wasn't sure yet what.

_Not quite at least_, I thought, catching the small flush. "That's... um, great," he stammered, starting to move again with a brisk pace. _But I do have some ideas._

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**(Misty)**

I hated the waiting and wished we would just get going. That meant going back to Cerulean... or what used to be Cerulean. However, even that was preferable to the waiting. I did not want to calm down. Because if I did, I would start to think and I would realize again how bad it really was. That undeniable truth... no, I could not afford to fall apart, not until they had paid for what they had done.

Taking a walk to clear my head had not helped at all. It had not even served to distract me since everywhere was a reminder of the threat that Team Rocket had made on the world... by example of my home. There were still a fair amount of visitors staying on Twinheart Island. Some had hastily departed home, those who still had one since there had been causalities, at the very least among the buildings, in other cities as well. Some were more cautious, probably frightened of what was coming and asking themselves if it was even safe to move around.

The entire island was a concentration of anxious energy, all awaiting the next shocking news. And that's why I really wanted to get moving as well. The longer we remained here, the more harm could be done by these monsters. They needed to be stopped and soon.

Sighing, I dropped down on the bed and absentmindedly released Starmie from its Pokéball. "Everyone thinks I'm going crazy." I chuckled. Perhaps they were even right. Crazy with what though, that might be the real question. One I couldn't even answer myself. I had so many people offering their 'condolences' lately, it was becoming annoying and only a further reminder of the tragedy that had befallen Cerulean, something I was sure I didn't need. It wasn't that I considered most of them dishonest, especially not those of my friends; at the same time, however, I could see the concern in all of them. Concern for my mental health. I couldn't even blame them. I wasn't sure if I would trust myself either right now.

Starmie nuzzled comfortably against my legs and gave a sound that was equal parts concern and encouragement. I chuckled without much humor. "You think so too, huh? Am I so wrong though? For wanting revenge? They destroyed my home, they killed so many people... for a demonstration. Is it so wrong to want them to pay for these crimes?" My oldest Pokémon did not reply but I felt a brief touch of comfort and understanding tugging at my mind which I was immensely grateful for. "I don't want anyone else to feel how I am feeling right now," I whispered quietly. And that was the real reason behind my single-minded drive, wasn't it? At least I hoped so. The things that were inside me, wanting to push out and surely overwhelm me... I really did not wish them on anyone else.

I really wished Leaf would get back. Sitting around here alone was bound to get me thinking even more and I couldn't even release most of my Pokémon here... A big part of me was tempted to go down to the beach and take a swim but for that the time we had left really was too short. There was still an hour remaining though and there was nothing I could do. Checkups were done, my Pokémon were all in perfect condition.

Just as I was about to head out again, to find myself some way to pass the time, my salvation arrived as the door slid open and my girlfriend returned. She looked fairly serious but then again that was a rather normal state for the Leaf I had gotten to know and love. Perhaps I was one of the few that really gotten to see her relaxed and normal side these days. I doubted even Ash had gotten that privilege much since they had reunited. Just thinking about her helped to quell the tide of raging emotions inside me and her presence gave me a stabilizing anchor that I was infinitely grateful for.

If I could not begrudge anyone the concern, it was her. As much as I wished she wouldn't always look at me like I was about to snap any moment, Leaf had that privilege of acceptance. I would always do the same for her. "Hey, how did it go? Anything important?"

Leaf grinned lightly. "Ash was just worried about the leader thing..." But that wasn't everything. I could see something had her... irritated. Leaf caught my gaze and obviously realized there was no point in hiding. "Well, and I managed to let that part about him, Dawn and May slip," she admitted a little sheepishly.

Ah, that explained her odd behavior. "I imagine he was not amused." Honestly, I did not envy Ash for his troubles and was very glad that I had no lingering attachments left to him. His situation was messy enough. Although it seemed that somehow they were on the way of making it work, as crazy as that thought might be.

Leaf shrugged and let herself fall on the bed, stretching out with a sigh. "I had to do some fast talking but I think he got the point that it is pointless to decide his future on something as intangible as a prophecy. They have the right idea in mind as it is now. There is no need to overthink things." And it certainly wouldn't get any quieter in the future. They had to figure this out on the go and that most certainly looked like a trial by fire eventually; whether that was good or not remained to be seen. Unlike Leaf I didn't think that all relationships formed under extreme situations were doomed to break apart in quiet times.

Silence reigned for a moment as none of us had anything else to contribute at this point. I knew Leaf had gotten little sleep the last two nights since she had always been there when I had woken up frequently... until I had decided to just stay up and she had promptly gone along with it. Sleep was obviously not going to come now either since my girlfriend looked up at the clock, then back towards me. By now I could see it coming already and honestly, even if it was Leaf, I had absolutely no desire to get into this again.

"It's almost time. I hate to ask but are you really..." she started but I cut her off, swinging myself around and ending up straddling the other girl much to her surprise,

"Am I ready to go there again? No. But we have to. Even I can see the logic." Leaning down I silenced whatever she wanted to say with a quick but hard kiss. "End of discussion. I'd rather not fret about it the rest of the hour when I could be doing something far more enjoyable."

Leaf put up a short struggle in protest but eventually relented, her arms coming up around me. For just a short time I could at least forget all the nastiness in the world.

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**(Dawn)**

The hour of departure had finally arrived. Everyone was eager to get going by now for one reason or another, including myself. That much I could tell even without any psychic powers. The ever present and even strengthening gloom all over Twinheart Island was... irritating to say the least. As soon as I had recovered most of my power from the healing, I had quickly worked on my barriers. Sabrina had been right: psychic powers could become a curse sometimes. The more you got attuned to the thoughts and feelings around you, the easier it became to pick them up unconsciously.

Of course, it wouldn't be much better where we were going. At least most of the people should have been moved away by now which should make it easier; I really didn't need that distraction for the task ahead. I had tried not to think about it too much but finally coming face to face with what Mew had been preparing us for in the last few weeks had me somewhat apprehensive. She might have said it was a mere formality at this point but I knew it wouldn't be quite that easy.

The group was quietly processing over the small landing field when I felt a squeeze from my left hand. I smiled slightly as I felt Ash's concern and reassurance, before it was followed from my other side. The temporary bond that included all three of us had ebbed slightly it seemed but wasn't completely gone.

I couldn't accurately answer you why I had given that kiss to May other than that it had felt like the right thing to do. Everything I had said still applied: what I felt now was merely a projection of a possibility. Of course, I couldn't say that this glimpse wasn't affecting me, that it wasn't compelling me to do everything to make it work for real. But saying that I loved May all of a sudden didn't work like that. Not if it was supposed to come from the heart. And this... possibility would only work like that. There was no point if I couldn't find myself able to achieve that feeling on my own. And that was probably also a reason why I had kissed her. Unreal or not, at least I could give her that one thing. For what she had done for us, risked for us, that was the least she deserved, even if nothing else ever came off it.

There was no helicopter waiting for us, but an actual, small but stylish plane. You saw these even less than helicopters. Especially the small, private ones for just a few people. Considering the size of our group though and the need to move quickly, it made sense.

_I really have to teach one of my Pokémon Teleport_, I made a mental note. That would come in real handy as we travelled around. Mew could do it and it shouldn't be that hard for at least Espeon to learn, considering we had long since passed the usual restriction of what was possible to learn for a Pokémon.

"This shouldn't take that long. If you want to rest a little longer, I suggest you do it now." Cynthia shot a meaningful look towards Leaf and Misty – clearly indicating their somewhat... disheveled appearance – who had the good grace to at least blush and look somewhat rueful. No one laughed though. I for one could understand the impulse and if it hadn't been for May, Ash and I may have engaged in some of what those two had been doing as well.

I settled in between Ash and May, the supporting flanking seemingly having shifted for the moment since this was going to be my important moment. That made me smile slightly, grateful for the support and hoping more than ever that we could make this work. To me this wasn't about missing something. It was more about what could be there. Now that I knew, my perspective had changed. I couldn't deny that at all.

A lot of things really had changed. About a year ago I couldn't have seen myself reacting like this, and it wasn't all about the powers that had awakened inside me. What they had done was to help me understand the responsibility I carried now. I wasn't blind to the facts: we might have appointed Ash as our leader and in terms of battle experience and talent, he and Leaf were doubtless in a class of their own. But neither of us had really awakened any substantial amount of their powers. I had already gotten a taste, one that had shaken me in the enormity of the experience. When we were done in Cerulean I would be the first – and for now the only one – to tap into this power. If we ran into opposition as was very likely the case, it would be up to me to make a difference.

That thought was scary but also something I had to face. Developing psychic powers as a side effect and training in them had at least prepared me somewhat. I was calmer now than I had ever been before and I understood so much more on a level that other people never would. The experience was quite overwhelming at times but had also helped me to grow as a person. Or at least I hoped so.

Even if Mew didn't need to test me, I believed the true test would come after I got these powers for good: how to wield them, how to withstand the pressure of being the first and only one. After what happened at the Contest I knew that Giovanni would hunt for us more firmly and more viciously now. We were a threat to his ambition and he wouldn't allow to us awaken our powers if he could somehow help it. For the moment it would be up to me to protect Ash and May from the worst he would throw at us.

What a strange thought indeed. Could I really do it? Could I shoulder all that responsibility, the safety of my boyfriend's and potential future girlfriend's lives?

I cast a glance around at the others. Misty was curled up against Leaf, actually taking Cynthia's advice to heart by having dozed off in a restless slumber. Brock and Ako seemed to be concerned about something that I couldn't quite decipher and didn't want to probe deeper. Finally I came back to Ash, who had an arm around both of us while looking out of the window serious and a bit anxious, and May leaning against my shoulder, apprehensive but trying her best to be determined.

No. I had to. I had to be strong for them. For the sake of our relationship, because what we had experienced for the last day had been too precious to throw away, but also when it came to fighting for them. Regardless how ugly it would get. What happened yesterday both at Twinheart and Cerulean was not something I wanted to see repeated. If I would have the power to do so soon, then I would shoulder that burden until everyone else could catch up. The point of no return had long since been crossed. There was no room for hesitation anymore.

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**(Narrator)**

The helicopter takes off from Twinheart Island. "And with this our heroes head off to face the harsh task set before them. A task none wanted but that now they have to complete for the sake of peace. As the world teeters on the edge of war, what trials will await these brave young humans and their Pokémon? Stay tuned to find out."

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**Maia's Prophecy**

Maia: I see, I see, I see in the future...

MysticMew: Still haven't given up on this?

Maia: And I see you still haven't given up on interrupting me, you lazy bum.

MysticMew: Excuse me? Who hibernated for months?

Maia: Well, certainly not me. I would have been there if you just got motivated enough.

MysticMew: Why you...

Maia: *smirks* You cannot blame me. It's in the standard author-muse contract.

MysticMew: Wha... Really?

*Maia nods smugly and MysticMew runs off*

Maia: Anyway where were we? Oh yes. I see...

MysticMew (from off): Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Maia snickers but then looks annoyed as continued cursing and wailing can be hurt.

Maia: Oh, forget it. I don't feel like it anymore... *flies off*

MysticMew (peeks head inside): And I still say it's her fault.

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**Author's Notes**

I realize that what I dub a prologue would be several chapters for some. ^_^ The cast is all there now though and things are bound to get big on a regular basis.

First off, a BIG thanks to H-Man #89995 who came around at a time when I had almost given up on finding a capable who would stay with me for longer than a few chapters. Fast, efficient and critical. I like that. We had some various interesting discussion since giving him this for a trial run. He hasn't committed to anything past TFSTTM Reloaded, so if any one (preferably a broader knowledge of the stuff I like) would still like the job, I have compiled a request on my archive page with everything I expect of a beta and you can also find a list of my known/preferred media and ships there.

Not much to say for this. Mostly a setup for the actual arc. This prologue was slow-going, mostly reflection and some issues that needed addressing. I hope I did so well enough. From now, this story will travel down a rather dark path and will probably get more fast-paced and action-orientated. Not too much, since pure action does not suit my writing style too much but we are going to be at war after all. There will be battles and conflicts and all this sort of stuff. However, I warn you now. The focus will stay mostly with our heroes and they will be doing a lot of skirting around while the war is being fought around them. So don't expect giant battles with armies on both sides or something (perhaps in arc 4). The battles will be a lot more personal.

The opening flashback I plan to do frequently over the course of the arc, giving brief glimpses to the time around the origin of Pokémon and the battle with Missigno. I'm not too sure yet about all of them but they will probably be related somewhat to the theme of the chapter (hence, if one group is facing off with a specific Legendary, expect to get something with that one).

Has someone figured out what happened to Shadow and some of the others? If not, I will reveal it at some point, but not now.

One last time the Ash/Dawn/May-angle. I tried to address some of the points I had raised in my recent discussion on the subject. For everyone that still needs it spelled out. THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE THREE. At least NOT YET. The interaction in this chapter is a direct result of the healing Dawn supplied for May and as such a possibility of what could be. Both Dawn and Ash are now "inclined" to accept May but that will not come over night. In fact, the development will continue throughout the story, probably until the end. I think it is pointless to say it is something that will not happen. Most of you know me by now. But at this point in the story and for the characters, it remains a possibility. So, please treat it as such.

And no, no one is acting out of character because these are the characters I have built up from the limited "depth" of the anime and the changes that have shaped them over the course of the story. This goes most importantly for Dawn. She is not the same anymore as in the Sinnoh Arc. Developing her powers early has given her insights and understanding she has not had before and of course, she will act on that. Please keep this in mind when saying things like: I can't see Dawn agreeing to that.

The plan from now will include a shifting focus. Our six heroes will get the most screen time of course, here and there some of the others if necessary, otherwise I doubt I will be able to handle it all. ^_^ Shifting focus means that most of the time a specific group or character will get more time in this chapter but then less in another, depending on the situation.

I honestly can't say when I have chapters ready from now on. You will have to be waiting longer than usual, I think. Between my studies, work for NSW, searching for some "real" (read: paying) work and other factors, I won't be able to crank them out at a 2-3 week interval basis. At least not regularly. I will try my best though.

On that note... No, this will not be the last arc as I had initially planned. A fourth will definitely be required. This one will focus on the beginning of the war and mostly the individual trials our six chosen have to go undergo with various encounters and events during that trip. The true resolution will have to wait for arc four.

For now, I hope all of you are still there and hopefully still willing to provide us with feedback. Either the traditional way or over our new blog. In fact we really, REALLY would appreciate if that would work out, since it could mean some independence from the system that aggravates me so. Either way is fine though, as long as you leave some.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias aka MysticMew


	35. 0301a: Dawn of the New Adventure!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Third Arc, Episode 1

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Beta

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn(/May?), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Pre-Note**

First of all, thank you everyone that reviewed. I'll get to those in a moment. But before that... I asked you all to take a look at my blog and site but so far NO ONE has left a comment anywhere or anyway. That is a little disappointing, really. I realize that right now it isn't much more than an alternative place to archive my work and that most of you are used to the (questionable) convenience of ff . net but there will be more. Already this episode had a teaser on the blog if anyone had bothered to look and the full episode has been there a lot earlier than on this site. I said I'd be rather cross if I hadn't gotten any feedback (my betas not included) for my blog and/or archive and I mean it. I cannot make you choose where you want to read my stuff as long as I cross post but I can control when something will be posted where.

Well, I'll give it some more time, but I honestly hope at least some of you can take a moment out of their time to comment on the MMD Blog/Site. I put a lot of hard (at times frustrating) work into them and it irritates me a little that there has been nothing so far.

Anyway. Reviews... At least those are still coming, so I'm somewhat mollified. A big thank you for all that left a review and a welcome to all the new readers. A few I'll pick out to comment on more specifically:

deadsoldier117: I think you may find a lot more reasons to snap TR members' necks until I am done. It gets only darker from here on out. ^_^ Thanks for the feedback.

Codeblue455: I would have inquired via PM or such but you didn't leave a signed one, so... You read it ALL in one day? Seriously?! I'm not even sure that is physically possible, without going twenty four hours without breaks... And even then it would be a stretch. If that's true I applaud your reading speed while still being able to appreciate the story. Thanks either way for the review.

Before I release you to this time's episode, I am proud to announce that the quality of my writing will probably become even better for now since Stone Tiger has joined the "team" as an official plot beta by now. Between three people to bounce ideas and correct my mishaps, I am sure everyone will profit from it. Give a big thanks to my amazing betas, I know that I am definitely grateful. ^_^

Without further ado, here is Episode of the third arc.

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**Special Service (Character Reminder)**

As Stone Tiger has helpfully pointed out to me, it might be a little hard for some of the long-time readers to remember all the people after about a year has passed, especially my OCs. So, here is a quick reminder of the most important ones. For more detailed character info, wait a little longer, as soon as I find between the mountain of other stuff, I put something on M&M DreamWorks.

Leaf: One of the youngest League Champions and Ash's childhood friend from Pallet. She and Ash fight a close match in the Sinnoh League as she wants to test him. Since then she primarily fights with Dark-type theme but also has a vast number of other Pokémon. After the Sinnoh League she accepts her duties as Master. During the second arc she has been travelling around a lot to prepare the rest of the group and foil Team Rocket's plans. During that she has come to visit and fall in love with Misty.

Ako: A young student at the Field Medic school Heal Bell Academy. She first meets Brock at the closing part at the Sinnoh League and invites him to study at Heal Bell. The two of them have since then fallen in love and Brock has recently proposed as well. Ako is a gentle person who does not like violence but with Brock's has learned that it is sometimes necessary to fight.

Naru and the Eevee Sisters: Naru is an Eevee used for experiments by Team Rocket. She has escaped with her sisters but they have been separated since then and ended up with a different member of the group eventually before meeting again at the end of the second arc. Because of the DNA manipulation done to Naru, she has the ability to shift into her different evolutionary stages at will (with some restrictions).

Missigno: (not to be identified one hundred percent with the game counterpart and as such I won't write it "Missigno.") When the NRE released by the Legendary Pokémon in ancient times ran havoc and made animals into Pokémon, some leftover energy produced this creature/conscious energy form. It seeks to create discord and rage between the races. The Legendaries have eventually sealed it up but now Missigno is beginning to awaken again. Not much else is yet known other than that the boss of Team Rocket, Giovanni, is connected to it and that the group must face it eventually.

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**Time and Location Unknown (Mew)**

"You cannot be serious. We are supposed to place our fate into the hands of humans? Do you really believe this is the right choice?"

The deep rumble of my opposite shook the large cavern with its underlying fury and menace. Everyone winced at the flood of emotions that washed over the group, already tense and wary to begin with.

In spite of that outburst, the answer was as measured and calm as it always was from him. *I do not know. All I can tell you is what I have seen. And from that I have calculated the most efficient route to make it happen. If we do not do this, however, then this world will face certain ruin. Humans, us, it would not matter once IT fully manifests on this plane once more.*

Everyone lapsed into silence once more at these words. Even the most outspoken among us knew that Zero spoke no lies and that his gift of foresight was practically infallible. It was his great presence as well as ability that had brought us together and to this point.

*Of course. I might be wrong. After all the reason why we stand before this choice now is because of my failure to properly predict the outcome of our actions.*

Before I could respond vehemently to that, it was the Water representative, the large, white dragon that answered. "That is not true, Lord Zero. Your actions have been in good faith. What it all led to, I do not believe it was your fault or could have been prevented." Of course, what this really meant was that it was OUR fault. Just following our leader did not free us of the sin we had all committed. And I wholeheartedly agreed with that.

There was a long moment of silence, before Zero's voice spoke into our minds once more, however, his strength was wavering I could tell. *I do not have much time left. Regardless of whether or not you follow my advice is up to you. This is the last of the help I can give you, my friends.*

"We will do it!" I exclaimed, suppressing the grief that was starting to well up inside me. My connection to him was much stronger than those of the others and in these final moments where his mind clung desperately to consciousness, I could feel all of it. His regrets and pain but also his hope. "The dream you gave us, the hope for a balance between our kinds, we will realize it. Because that is why we are all here today. Isn't that right?"

I looked around at the five others of our group. Some met my gaze squarely, resolute, others looked away chastened. Yet no one dared speak a further word of objection.

*Thank you, my friends.* A wave of gratitude swept throughout the cavern from the glowing pillar of light, the last remnant and connection to the mind of the one being that had united us all in his desire for mutual understanding. *Now go. Go and watch over the seal. When that time comes, I know you will come to understand what needs to be done. Farewell, my brothers and sisters.*

It was in a somber mood that our small group turned to leave the cavern and soon enough the sanctuary that we had called home for many years. Most likely we would never return but hopefully Zero's last words and advice would carry us forward much as his vision had done before.

With a long last look back, I was about to follow the rest of the group, when I heard his voice in my mind once more. *Wait... I have something else that you must know... sister.*

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**(Narrator)**

"Cerulean City. Situated in the northeastern corner of the Kanto Region, it has for a long time been a beautiful city situated close to the ocean. Never particularly of as much importance as the surrounding big cities of Celadon and Saffron or the port city of Vermilion, Cerulean's water theme enjoyed its own unique charm."

As we zoom in from above on the region, where once has been Cerulean is now only the ruins of buildings and an all-encompassing scene of destruction. A lone helicopter is seen approaching the scene, descending on the edge of the ruins.

Out of the helicopters the small group along with Cynthia emerged. Everyone had changed into clothes that were more fitting for travel and physical activity where it was necessary.

Ash's outfit style had not changed much from his days travelling the various regions and similar to his Sinnoh outfit only that the jacket was mostly black now with yellow highlights at the top and bottom sides as well as the sleeves, his provisional Master Badge fastened on the front. Dawn had opted for a dark blue, dress going to mid-thigh with pants in a lighter blue tone below. The dress was accentuated by the white hem and belt holding her Pokéballs. May's outfit had basically not changed much but had seen a return to the earlier red color theme. The shirt's sleeves were a little longer as were the pants which had become more formfitting to allow faster movement.

Brock and Ako wore the matching, all-purpose uniform coats of Field Medics, consisting of a long, easy to move in coat with various pockets. Brock's coat had a earthly brown color while Ako had chosen a deeper green tone. Misty, who was now used to more feminine clothes, had also returned to the more practical, tomboyish look of her travelling days. The dark red top and long light gray jeans seemed to reflect her state of mind. In contrast, Leaf at her side, remained seemingly unaffected in the same basic outfit style she had worn at the Sinnoh League and much like Ash never had changed much during her travels.

The mood as the group set foot on the ground of the ruined city was clearly sullen.

"Our heroes have nonetheless returned to this place in order for Dawn to claim the power she needs to stand up to the ones responsible for this destruction."

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**Cerulean City (Brock)**

It was like a step into a different world.

We had all seen the video feeds, of course. The ghastly scenes of destruction had been outrageous, painful to watch and hard to comprehend. Yet, nothing could adequately prepare you for the real thing. The first time we had gotten a first glimpse from above of what was left of Cerulean City had made the already somber and heavy atmosphere even more oppressing. The question must have gone through everyone's mind: How could this have happened?

_Why is it that we always seem to come to scenes of destruction whenever we are flying somewhere lately?_

Conflict was almost unheard of for ages. War was something that we didn't know except in theory, always connected to ancient history; a thing of the past. After hearing about the true history, I understood now why that was. Yet, since we didn't know what it truly was, comprehension was even harder. It was like being caught in some movie, some bad horror or action flick. All of this was real though.

And that first view didn't even compare. Disembarking from the helicopter, really seeing for the first time... It was overwhelming. There was barely anything left. At best the ruin of a house, structures mostly left intact but otherwise burned, broken... deserted. The rest was mostly rubble that was just being cleared away now by various troops of people with League insignia as well as the police force.

_This is several days later, too_, I thought with a side glance towards Misty, her expression unreadable but her body language speaking volumes. I couldn't even imagine. It was so bad to look at. Even without the people. She had been there, had seen the destruction, had seen people fleeing, hurt and... Was it any surprise that such a thing left emotional scars? No, probably not. What she needed now was time. Of course, time was something we didn't have, which made it so hard in the first place.

How would I react in such a situation? I honestly couldn't say and it depressed me to think that I couldn't even remember much about Cerulean, outside of the Gym. We had never spent much time elsewhere in the city when we had come through here and I had not really visited as much as I perhaps should have in-between. And now... now it was all gone.

Of course, I was travelling the other regions with Ash most of the time. And if I was home, my family came first. The thought made me shiver unwillingly. This had to be bad on my folks as well. Pewter was left mostly unaffected by the attacks but by now the incident was all over the news and with the censoring from the League, rumors were sure to be spread even more wildly. I had briefly spoken with my father but communication was rather hampered at the moment, the lines overloaded from concerned people wanting to inquire about family members.

My younger siblings were probably scared, not knowing what was going on. We truly had been blessed by our peaceful lives and never knew such... atrocities. I should be with them but... No, what good would that do. I had a responsibility here as well. One I truly didn't feel quite up to yet but one that was too important to disregard. Sure, I could be at home and care for my siblings but then, who would make sure no harm would reach them in the first place?

Despite my nagging doubts about my own place and how useful I could truly be, I could make a difference here. I could help make sure this tragedy was not repeated anywhere else. We had made a promise, a vow, and until we had fulfilled that, there was no turning back anymore regardless of individual opinion. That much, I believed, everyone agreed on.

"So horrible," Ako whispered at my side and I jerked my own gaze away from the scene of ruin before me. My fiancée had subconsciously clung to my arm and I slipped it around her in a comforting gesture. "What can you possible achieve with all that destruction? I don't understand..."

That was one thing I still truly regretted but could ultimately do nothing about. I wished I could have kept Ako out of this. This was not her battle and she was such a gentle soul, I feared what it would do to her. Especially just looking in from the sidelines, close to the action but not really part of it. I had thought that after Aprico Village that she had grown strong enough to face danger, to face hazardous situations... but this... Seeing what was left of Cerulean made me realize, really realize for the first time just how serious all this was. How could I accept drawing the woman I loved into such a conflict? How could I – as it looked now – justify even leaving her in it all by herself?

Unfortunately as gentle and kindhearted as she was, Ako could also be somewhat stubborn. Since Aprico Village she had found a determination not even if she knew about. Talking her out of it was out of the question. This was what we had signed up for while learning at Heal Bell and receiving our diploma. Of course, no one could have imagined the scale of our mission ever becoming like this.

"I don't think we ever can truly understand the minds of those capable of this," was the only answer I had for her, not wanting to admit that I understood perfectly the tactical value of such a strike, as inhuman and monstrous as it had been. That didn't matter to someone like the boss of Team Rocket, since from his point of view it was merely the question of how to make the greatest possible initial impact. And that he had certainly achieved. The unease, the fear now present in everyone would make it much easier once they really begun making serious moves.

"We don't need to understand what they think." Misty's quiet voice was still like a knife cutting through the thick atmosphere. One could sense the simmering fury behind it, tightly controlled but in this way perhaps even more scary. "All we need to do is make sure it doesn't happen again." With that she shook free of Leaf's concerned hand and started forward, her steps resolute. "Let's go."

No one dared say anything or object. Silently our little group started after Misty, each certainly haunted by their own thoughts at the sight of this place, yet no one more affected by it than my old friend.

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**Opening Theme (Crystal Energy, Mai-Otome 2nd Opening)**

Mew zips into the scene looking down to see Ho-oh flying into the screen. Then left comes Lugia. A pillar of earth rises up to display Regigigas standing on top of the screen and finally Rayquaza comes in from the right. Rounding up the picture is Darkrai floating up behind Mew who looks back forward. The Legendaries burst into various colors (red for Ho-oh, blue for Lugia, green for Regigigas, Yellow for Rayquaza, a dark purple/black for Darkrai and a light pink/white for Mew) to display the series logo.

_kasaneatta hibi_

Split screen: Ash walking on the left with Pikachu on his shoulder, on the right a quick flash of scenes (single picture flashes): Him and Leaf battling in the Sinnoh League, sitting together in a grassy field with Brock, Dawn and his Pokémon peacefully eating.

_kioku no oku e tojikome_

Next screen has May walking on the right, Naru at her side. The left shows scenes of her Sinnoh Great Festival and back at the beginning of the Wallace Cup where she meets Ash, Dawn and Brock at the pier.

_kinou to chigau watashi ga_

_ima, koko ni tatteru_

Dawn on the left with Prinplup. The right shows her at the Kanto Grand Festival, sharing her first kiss with Ash and sitting on a bed with May's head in her lap (prologue scene from this arc).

The left screen expands showing a picture with Dawn in the center. She twirls and is now wearing a sleeveless white dress (see description in this episode) as Mew flies in and settles on her shoulder, Prinplup has transformed into a white Empoleon. Ash and May appear on her right and left as the three of them hold hands. The silhouettes of Ho-Oh and Rayquaza appear behind them as well.

_orite kita yami wa_

Leaf on the right with Shadow at her side. To the left shows her in battle with Ash, travelling the countryside and sitting together with Misty eating ice cream.

_subete wo yasashiku daite_

The scene shifts to the left, showing now Misty on the right along with her Starmie. To the left the scenes further show Misty battling with Leaf and then walking along with Ash and Brock as they were still travelling.

_katarikakeru no_

To the right are Brock and Ako, walking side by side. To the left Brock is treating Pokémon back at Heal Bell. The next shows in Gym Battle with Ash from the beginning of the series and finally travelling together with Ash and May.

_mamoru koto no hontou no imi wo_

The screen becomes one again. Brock and Ako are on the right with Steelix in the background. Leaf and Misty are left with their respective Pokémon. The silhouettes of Regigigas, Darkrai and Lugia appear behind them.

_mugen ni hirogaru hoshi wo_

_nando mo miagete ita_

A vast star field is shown, the stars start to rush forward (think hyperspace-like effect). In the center slightly transparent we see a scene of the six Legendaries battling a formless shadowy being, followed by an image of Poképolis with giant Pokémon running around, then of the Pokémon League Headquarters on the Indigo Plateau with Ho-oh flying above and finally of Team Rocket invading Cerulean City.

_ano yoru wo wasurenai_

_hikikaesenai_

The screen flashes with fullscreen shots of a burning Cerulean City, and May as she lies in Ash and Dawn's arms after protecting them at Twinheart. Then it's back to the stars, now motionless and zooming out to see the group at Twinheart making their vow under the Purple Moon.

_ushinau mono wa nani mo nai_

_afuredashiteku ENAJII_

_atsuku, tsuyoku, takumashiku_

_tatoe hikari no nai sekai demo_

Within a smoking city's ruins the group faces of with an army of Rockets led by the six distinctive people (see end of this episode). Quick flashes to them facing off with the characters.

_koe wo kanjite..._

_anata dake mitsukerareru_

The background turns black behind Dawn, who seems in despair. Ash and May appear behind her and she melts into their embrace, then holds up her hand and illuminates the darkness with a sphere of light, making it momentary white before showing the entire group, the trio as they were positioned to the right of the screen, along with Pikachu, Mew, Empoleon, Lopunny, Blaziken and finally Naru to the left of the group around them. To the left are Brock sitting on Steelix' head with Ako in his lap, and Leaf and Misty standing back to back next to them, along with Starmie and Shadow. The rest of the Eevee sisters are grouped together between Naru and Shadow. In the top left corner a picture of the Legendaries is displayed and in the top right one of the TR task force. Above them all at the top looms Giovanni with a backdrop of Missigno's formless shadow form.

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M&M DreamWorks Presents

The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Third Arc: Elemental Trials

Episode 1: Dawn of the New Adventure! The First 'Trial'!

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**(Misty)**

That's right. All I could do now was to move forward. Looking back would not change anything, would not make anything right again. It was irrelevant why it happened. What was important now was that these monsters would be stopped. That would serve justice and prevent further disasters.

I had already resolved myself to that path. It would not have been something I might have chosen before... no, even after hearing about it from Leaf, before the attack, all this had seemed a little unreal, something not quite concerning me. Not anymore though. It was a welcoming thought. I would be able to make a difference. I... I would never be so helpless again.

It had hurt. For all my ability, for all the acknowledgement I had gotten over the years, in the end it had made no difference at all. I couldn't prevent any of this from happening. I couldn't save anyone. And if Leaf hadn't shown up, both Aisha and I would have died here as well. What good was it to be Gym Leader if you could not even protect anyone? I never wanted to feel this way again and I didn't want to ever have other people feel like that either. That's why I would follow this crazy prophecy and I would do it gladly...

Still, regardless how much I tried, coming back here was something I could have easily done without. Everything was filled with memories. Memories that were a fresh reminder of my failure, of my weakness. It was better to get this done with as soon as possible. There was nothing left here to do aside from what we came for.

At least I thought so until I saw a convoy of people. Some clearly medical personnel, some carrying food and supplies. It made me stop and look, wondering. That didn't look like they were here for those working at clearing away the rubble.

Cynthia must have noticed my interest as the Grand Champion spoke up. "Ah, here and there some people who were trapped in collapsed houses or similar are being found. Some are quite weak or injured, so we are giving first treatment here before moving them to a real hospital or where their families are."

I hadn't known that. I thought the whole area had been cleared out. So there really had been more people left aside from those that had been rounded up by Team Rocket. Perhaps...

"Are you still searching for more survivors?" May asked, looking around skeptically. "It has to be hard to find anyone in all this." Especially if they were trapped somewhere under a building or such, was probably what she really meant to say but didn't. I appreciated the sentiment, however, it wasn't like I couldn't make the connection myself.

"Teams have been combing the city for awhile but at this point, if there is someone left that hasn't been found, it probably is too late already." Cynthia was a bit more blunt about it but frankly I could live with that more. It was getting on my nerve, having everyone tiptoe around the truth and trying to be considerate. Besides...

"I'd like to see them." The group stopped and I had to suppress a sigh of irritation at the startled looks from everyone. Did I really look like I would snap any moment or something? This was still my city, my responsibility, regardless of how little I had been able to do. And the real reason for wanting to see them was a more personal one anyway.

Cynthia seemed hesitant at what to do. Normally I would agree that we should focus on what we came here to do, but this was really something I needed to do, needed to know. It might only be a small hope but perhaps...

"I agree. Let's have a look. There probably isn't anything we can do but I think it would be a good idea." I shot Ash a grateful look, seeing Dawn nod rapidly as well. I really couldn't read Mew at all. She probably would have rather wanted to move on but it was really hard to tell. The Legendary could hide her emotions perfectly, often behind a gentle, playful nature or so it would seem. However, no objection came forth and Cynthia seemed to take this as a sign of unanimous agreement.

The walk did only take a few minutes away from the path to our original destination. The makeshift shelter consisted of a large tent that could easily hold perhaps up to a hundred or more people. There weren't nearly as many and most of them were League personnel, medics and other workers. The group of 'survivors' was small. There was a man who had obviously hurt his leg but I couldn't quite tell how bad it was. A small family being treated for burns and smoke exposure. The only person I recognized was the kind owner of the ice cream store, making me exchange a brief nostalgic but also relieved look with Leaf. The older woman hadn't been among the original group of survivors and it was good to see one more familiar face safe. Yet...

As expected it had been too faint a hope to be true. Just as I thought, Aisha's family wasn't here. I should have known better than to think otherwise. There truly had been no point in wasting our time here. Apparently these people were being taken care of and there was nothing I could do that would make a difference.

_Damn it. Why didn't I order them out of town?_ I probably could have, even if Aisha would have been upset. She was stubborn but if I really had insisted... That was foolish thinking, of course. At that time the most I had been concerned about had been my assistant's wellbeing. None of us had imagined Cerulean itself would become a target and on this great scale too. I hadn't even thought about anywhere beyond the two of us at this point.

A gentle hand on my shoulder pulled me out of my thoughts and I looked up into concerned brown eyes. It seemed all I had achieved was making everyone concerned about me. "I'm fine," I told my girlfriend before she could make a comment. I was sure she knew exactly what I had hoped to find. "We should move on."

"Don't you want to talk with these people?" Dawn asked, uncertainly looking into the tent, indecisive about how to proceed. Part of me envied that. That girl was really a gentle, empathic soul. Ash had chosen well. She would probably make it far with these powers she would be getting, too. And that's why I really couldn't be annoyed. There was no point in pulling anyone else down. There would be enough time for reflection when this was all over.

"No. I just wanted to confirm something. We've come here for a reason. Let's not forget about that."

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**(Prinplup)**

It was a pretty desolate scenery.

Travelling with Dawn I had seen a lot of different places. Small villages, bigger cities, natural wonders but also some rather strange ones. This was definitely new though. Despite everything I had experienced, even after witnessing Hunter J's ruthlessness or Team Galactic's ambitions, this was still new to me. The level of destruction was awful enough but that wasn't all there was to it. As Pokémon, we all had stronger senses than most normal humans. Even without being remotely talented in that area, I could feel the lingering despair, the terror and pain. I could feel death.

_How can humans do such things? Is it such a wonder our ancestors were driven to such lengths?_

Of course I knew better than to generalize like this. However, seeing this, experiencing the atmosphere heavy with the atrocity committed just a short time ago, one couldn't help but think how someone could be driven to such acts. No justification would ever be enough to explain this.

Lopunny wasn't doing any better I realized when I saw her shiver slightly. In fact, she was probably taking it worse. Her senses were a lot sharper and she could mentally link with Dawn a lot better than I could, something I might have been envious of If it was anyone other than Lopunny... Besides, I hardly could envy her in this particular situation.

Reaching out, I touched her hand and smiled up at her with a hopefully reassuring expression. She smiled back slightly and I felt my heart flutter slightly. That she had accepted me so easily after Pikachu's rejection had been a surprise, even if she was more instinct-driven than me. Not that I was complaining. In these times we all needed someone to rely on.

Her gaze quickly went back forward though and I realized she had been carefully studying our Trainer. As best as anyone could tell, Dawn was the perfect picture of calm and centered. The truth, of course, was a lot different. I knew that even without having any particular Psychic talent. She had gotten quite good at blocking out unwanted stuff, however, not without a lot of effort. And the upcoming ceremony clearly affected her.

"What do you think will happen to us from now on?" Lopunny asked quietly.

Thanks to Mew we had some insight on what would be coming and also what it might mean for us Pokémon. Dawn was as prepared for this as anyone could be. That neither took away the enormous responsibility and to some degree the finality. Once accepted, there really would be no turning back on these powers again.

"We'll stand with her, as we always have." The answer was as simple as Lopunny's question was complex. I freely admitted I wasn't the biggest thinker around. What I could do best though was to give my best and believe in Dawn, even if it meant giving her a piece of my mind sometimes. She was strong, stronger than she perhaps believed to be at times. What held her back most of the times was herself. And that is where I had to be there. No matter what. This went double now, for Dawn and Lopunny as well.

"That is all we can do. She'll pull through, even with this. I believe that without doubt."

Lopunny smiled a little more brightly this time. "You're right. It doesn't really matter what all this fighting means, I guess. At least we know that they'll do the right thing, that's something we need no proof of anymore." No, definitely not. We had seen it time and again. These humans were rightfully chosen for this task, regardless of its enormity. If anyone could pull it off, it was them.

I could tell though that my mate's concerns hadn't been fully put to rest and could not really blame her either. We might have had the advantage of knowing about this longer, but it was just starting to sink in now. The meaning behind this conflict was not just because of one or more ambitious people. This war touched the very foundations of our world as it was now. No matter what, after all this, the relationship between humans and Pokémon would be forever changed. In what way depended largely on our actions.

Quite the scary thought.

"You don't have to worry about anything. Once this ceremony is through, I'll definitely protect you." Perhaps it was arrogant. No... it was rather arrogant. Yet, I believed in it. I had to. This had always been my role. To be Dawn's support. The one that prodded her along when necessary, the one she could rely on when it got tough. We did not have the long bond and experience as Pikachu had with his Trainer but it was enough for us. And knowing that, I understood that Dawn's responsibility was also my own.

Lopunny didn't seem to mind, blushing at my boast. Such a wild and playful nature most of the time, yet she was clearly a romantic at heart and definitely seemed to enjoy being the center of attention this time. That backing up my claim become more serious to me. For Dawn who had always believed in me and showed me things I had never imagined and for Lopunny who had given me her heart... I would be strong for them and protect them, no matter what.

These are the things most dear to me, their happiness, I thought as we got into the boat prepared for us to bring us the small distance across the river and to the entrance of Cerulean Cave. There was no hesitation anymore. I had pretty much discarded that during the Grand Festival already. There would be a change after today. Another big change. However, it didn't scare me anymore. In fact I welcomed it for the ability to be of much better use to those I loved.

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**(May)**

As I thought, it wouldn't be so easy after all. The effects of the temporary bonding had faded as sudden as they had begun. During the trip here, the link had slowly dimmed until completely fading away... No, that wasn't quite right. There was a dim background echo. If I concentrated enough I could still receive an echo of their feelings.

That wasn't the same though. There was no true connection. It was more like someone on the outside peering in and for that I felt truly like an intruder. These last days had truly been like a dream. No more than a dream though. The reality was not much different as it had been before.

As we followed Mew through the network of twisting cave tunnels, going deeper and deeper into the maze, I did not need to feel. I saw clearly enough. The ease with which Ash and Dawn interacted. She was outwardly calm and collected but surely nervous on the inside as well. Ash knew this without needing words, sticking close all the time and silently giving his support.

I wanted to do that as well. However... was that really alright? As things were now – even though they had agreed to try – right now, I couldn't really be considered close enough to involve myself. Yet, if I didn't, how should I ever grow closer to them? How should we ever make this work?

It was an impossible situation after all.

Mew deciding to pick up conversation as we walked was almost appreciated, since it gave me something to focus on other than the unfair longing in my heart. "I think it is time for you to learn exactly what becoming one of the Chosen will mean. Dawn already knows the details of the ceremony we will be performing and I want you all to watch carefully but I suppose it is a good idea that I'll tell you now."

Yes, it was unfair. Of course Ash would know and be able to support Dawn right now. They had a good year together as an official couple. I couldn't be expected to develop that closeness overnight just because I loved them both. The last days and the temporary bond were both a blessing and a curse. They had given me hope for what could be, yet that was all it had been and now that it was gone again, all I had left was an even stronger longing and an even greater doubt if I could ever be good enough to form something like this with them on my own.

"As I have already told you, we have chosen the nexus points for the different elements for a specific purpose. Drawing out the potential you have sleeping within yourself would take decades otherwise and even in the best of cases many years. That is why each of us presiding over a part of the seal would use the long time spent there to harness the power of their element to a point of completely merging with it, so that we can serve as a focal point to draw out and channel your own abilities."

That much I could understand. Honestly, I still had some trouble wrapping my mind around the concept. How old exactly were Mew and the other Legendaries? She had never truly clarified that and I got the feeling she didn't like to talk about it either. However, one thing was clear. I doubted we were talking about just a few centuries here. That kind of time... it was hard to imagine. And even more so, spending it all in isolation, in lonely vigil. Thinking about that made one's own troubles so insignificant.

"If you gain the approval of my companions, you will be able to undergo a bonding ceremony that will connect you to them. In order to do – and this part is really important – you need some kind of object, a Focus that will serve as link between you. This Focus, however, must be something truly personal, something you yourself believe suits your personality, your dreams, your resolve."

Something that suited me? I wondered what that was. As I was now, I couldn't even begin to say. All I had known recently was a rollercoaster of euphoria and heartache, determination and hesitation. Of course I doubted I was the only one thinking that right now. Misty was even worse off and I knew too little about Leaf to make an adequate assessment. One would think that from all of us only Ash and Dawn were the most stable among us, the most prepared.

However, that too, would be unfair. While the bond had receded now, I had also gained some insight. And so I knew... Regardless of how ready Dawn seemed to be, I understood what was truly going on inside her. About her motivation and now that made me worry for her as well, perhaps even more so than any of the others. Because the kind of responsibility she was trying to shoulder right now could easily become just as destructive, if not even more so than our own individual problems.

"When you say object," Brock interjected. "Do you mean a physical object along the lines of a weapon?" That would have been my first thought as well. At least I could work with that general idea after all the lessons Maylene had given me. I doubted though it was quite so easy however.

"No, it does not have to be a weapon. The Focus should be a reflection of what you wish to do with the powers you receive. How you want to use them. The actual object is not something you bring and then imbue with power, it must be envisioned and formed with your mind and your personal NRE. This process is deeply personal and can only be done once during the initial ceremony, so please give this some serious thought. You still have some time and after today, you will have a better idea of what to expect."

_She does not even expect anything to go wrong_, I thought in a bit of wonder. That wasn't arrogant thinking either. There was a certainty and belief in the small Legendary's voice and entire demeanor. No doubt over the success of her charge. And should I really be surprised? Dawn had already shown her ability to harness these powers – my own life was proof of that. She was strong, and therefore... therefore all I could do was walk forward on that same path with them. Regardless how much I doubted or felt isolated. It was better to look at the hope than at the despair after all.

A little startled I realized that I had unconsciously drawn closer to Ash and Dawn. For a moment I fought with my own indecision as my hand made to reach out. That was, however, when I saw Ash look at me, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips, both grateful and encouraging. That was enough for me right now. Especially coming from him, who seemed to be the most hesitant in this weird relationship between us, this tiny sentiment meant a lot.

Gently but decisive I grasped Dawn's remaining hand, putting her between us. Blue eyes looked at me startled, then softened into something I couldn't quite describe but made me feel a little more special right away. A moment later I felt her presence reaching out, drawing me inside their own connection. It wasn't the same as before but that was okay. I would take what I could for now. At this point what mattered was that we looked out for each other, everything else would hopefully come with time...

Right?

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**(Mew)**

I smiled happily at the scene. A first step, no more. Yet, they really seemed to fit together. Honestly, at first I hadn't been sure what would happen and what the best course was. Dawn had been happy with Ash, there didn't seem to be any problem. All I had tried at that time, when I had asked her that question, had been to better prepare her for this situation and not to destroy any chance of achieving some kind of harmony – no matter what shape that would be in the end. However, Dawn had perhaps surprised us all with how she was handling this situation. Truly, I could not be prouder. She had grown so much in so little time and would thusly set a good example today for everyone else. I had no doubt about that.

Of course... seeing them like this made me feel... I wasn't sure exactly what it made me feel. Lonely perhaps? It wasn't quite the same with Mewtwo. What the two of us had was more like a very strange family relationship. But yes, I missed him, and I couldn't help but worry. We had heard nothing. Many times I had tried to reach out and find my estranged child but found no response. And that alone was reason enough for concern. If he had just been recovering somewhere, that should be long done. Which left two options, neither of which were appealing. Capture or death. I didn't even know which was worse, however, Mewtwo would certainly rather prefer the latter than being back in their hands.

Shaking free of the thought, I pushed it far back where it couldn't bother me. I had a duty to perform right now and if I started worrying now, Dawn would know immediately and that would influence the ceremony. We had both known that things like that might happen someday. Giovanni was persistent when he wanted something and my mission always carried danger with it. My place was here, with them. Everything else had to stand back for now.

Thusly steadied in my resolve, I proceeded forward. Just in time too, since we had reached the larger cavern. It was a good thing my shields were in place now. This was the last place where we had seen each other after all. But for now...

Startled, I looked back at the hand on my back, Dawn's understanding face greeting me. "If he's still out there, we'll find him."

It was really hard to suppress the swell of emotions this time and I decided to allow myself a small indulgence after all, letting her know my own gratitude. Perhaps this was better after all. A little personal note couldn't hurt. Still, she really was amazing. At times I really wondered whose empathic potential was higher: Ash's or Dawn's?

Nodding firmly, I shook free of her touch and floated over to the center of the cavern. "The bonding ceremony will have to take place as close to the nexus point as possible. Only we, who have guarded these places for all this time, can open the pathway there." Closing my eyes, I sent my mind outwards, reaching for the strings of power. Elemental energy in its purest form, a brilliant light that could illuminate any darkness...

**Flashback**

"Brother... I..."

The mind touch was familiar, much more so than before. It had something terrible... definite as well. *Don't cry, sister. I never wished for this outcome. But I am not unhappy.*

Not unhappy? After all this? The terrible events our carelessness had set into motion? The sin we had committed? The evil we had created? And now, now he would...

*I think... all this is meant to be. What I have seen... you know I cannot ever really remember more than the abstract prophecies I give, but I feel that... yes, that at the end of this path we have chosen and cannot leave again, there is hope... Real hope. My sister... promise me something...*

"Everything! I'll do whatever it takes!"

A gentle caress touched my heart and I couldn't help myself any longer, softly crying at imagining the ghost of a smile that he would always have for me. And now, for the last time...

*Your power is almost as great as mine... No, perhaps equally so... You just have not found your purpose yet... Sister, it will not take you long to master your element, I am sure. When you do... I want you to observe this world. Our kind, humans... I truly believe... that one day... we can... live together... in harmony...*

"Brother?" This time there was no reply. The mental connection had finally slipped away as Zero's consciousness had slipped into a deep slumber that he may never wake from again...

**End Flashback**

It had always been a strain to use my elemental power, regardless of how much talent I had inherited from my brother. The reason for that was fairly simple, of course. The higher elements were somewhat different from the basic ones. Water, Fire, Earth and Air were everywhere. They made up the fundamentals of nature. But Light and Shadow were slightly different and using them away from this place was much more limited than it would have been for the others.

The portal of light shimmered into existence before me.

It would not be a strain anymore. Not after today. Once this ceremony was completed, both Dawn and I would be able to use this power as freely as possible and with that we would surely bring a change to the world. Yes, my brother's vision. With these children who held within them so much compassion, so much love for Pokémon, it was possible. I could see it now, the hope that he had seen. Even in the darkness spreading out before us, I had to believe... No, I could believe in these humans.

"Come. Let us proceed."

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**(Dawn)**

Words could never truly describe this place. Mew said that access to the actual nexus point was hidden at a different plane, one only a being with a sufficient matching elemental control could open. Yes, it was much like entering a complete new world. The light in this place was blinding... or should have been. The intensity was so great, as if one were to look directly into the sun, yet I could see perfectly clear. The light was warm and invigorating, comforting as well as inspiring.

The scenery had in fact not changed very much I realized. In fact, once my eyes had gotten used to the sudden brightness, I saw that it was the exact same cave just... different. Where the inside of Cerulean Cave had been damp and dark, this place was warm and bright. The stone walls were glittering like... no, they had become sparkling crystals, shimmering in all seven colors of the rainbow.

Breathtaking.

And those were just the visual and superficial sensory impulses. Just opening my shields a little, and I was overwhelmed by the purity and power in this place. Without needing to be told, my attention was drawn right to the center of the cave. Where the large pool of water had been before, a magnificent fountain of the purest white was gushing forth high towards the ceiling... and beyond.

_Like it goes on and on, without end_, I thought.

"That's right. This is but a small part of the nexus lines running throughout the whole planet. Only in very few places, however, will you find it touching the surface," Mew explained. "Of course... it's not really the surface, but rather an intermediary plane that can be reached from either side."

Everyone else was just awed. Even Misty seemed to have forgotten her own troubles for the moment. If nothing else, this alone was worth bringing everyone along for. Outside had been a reminder of the harsh reality we were now facing. Here, I believed, the hope of a better tomorrow was reflected. A place so beautiful and serene... If something like this could still exist, then all your troubles seemed insignificant in the end.

"It's time." Mew settled gently on my shoulder and Prinplup had taken up a resolute position at my side. Something was missing though. I felt blessed, privileged but also quite a little nervous, regardless of Mew's reassurance that after the performance on Twinleaf, nothing could go wrong. Back then I had just been acting though, I had not been actively thinking about my actions. The responsibility had been there, too. The responsibility for May's life. That had been nothing I could have been prepared for though. There had simply been no time to think.

And then a slight peck at my leg made me yelp and look down at my long-time partner annoyed. Only for a moment though as I saw his face and posture, wings crossed and with just a little smugness – I grinned slightly. Then it was Ash and May's turn, both resting an arm on my shoulders causing Mew to evacuate with a giggle.

That's right. I wasn't alone in this. No matter the responsibility and much like our relationship right now, we would walk this path together. So for now, until everyone could catch up, I had to do my best and set the right example.

Smiling, I released all my other Pokémon as well, finally realizing just what it was that I had been missing. Now everything was complete. Just like that feeling back at the Grand Festival. Ash and everyone had shown me back then how much we could achieve if we pooled all our feelings together.

With my resolve set and strengthened, I walked forward without hesitation towards the stream of light representing part of the nexus here. We had gone over all of this many times and I knew the procedure without needing to be told again. Mew had taken up position on the other side and I took that as my clue, reaching out with one hand and letting my shields fall.

*The potential is already within you. All of you were born with the ability to connect to an element as if it was a part of you. Do not be afraid of the power within you. Embrace it, work with it. Light is not something to be harnessed or controlled. Light is simply there, always around and inside us.* Yes, much like when I had done the healing for May, back at Twinheart. That wasn't exactly the same but the concept was very similar. Light had no real physical connection to the world like Air, Water, Earth and Fire. You could not grasp and comprehend it in the same way. I knew what I was looking for though, having already gotten a glimpse of the true thing.

So when the power threatened to overwhelm me, I allowed it, directing the flow into a shape.

*Imagine a door. Behind it is the power you seek. But don't try to push it open. The raw energy from the nexus would crush you, no matter how adaptive you are. What we want to achieve is to just allow a small portion to get through and stimulate your potential. So, imagine a lock and a key for this lock. This key will be your Focus.*

I had thought about this for quite some time now, discarding a lot of ideas in the process. Even before what happened at Twinheart and Cerulean, I knew we were most likely going to end up in a big conflict. Many battles would have to be fought, so it would be natural to imagine some kind of weapon. But, that wasn't necessarily the best choice.

How had Mew put it? Our Focus should be something that suited us. I also believed it should be something that both partners could identify with in some way. Mew did not want us to fight. That much I knew. Her efforts to spare us this fate had been honest. She had given her best. And so I had to do the same now. For peace and for her dream as well.

Visualizing thankfully was something that I had learned quickly through my lessons with Sabrina, since it helped to focus on the dreams and call them up more and more consciously. As such shaping a clear image in my mind of what I wanted was not so hard and I could put a lot of detail into it as well.

Slowly and carefully the image began to take shape. At first as a circular ring, then expanding, becoming a band of silvery metal, enlarging until it was wide enough to serve its purpose. Five indentions took shape on the 'front', fitted with five crystals. A ruby, an aquamarine, a topaz, an emerald and an amethyst. And for a final touch a large disc depicting a bright sun appeared in the center.

Reaching out with mental hands, I grasped the completed diadem. There was no reaction yet but that was expected. The Focus alone held no power. It was a key... or perhaps more a medium to allow me to connect with Mew and my element. Without hesitation I placed the diadem on my forehead and focused on the mental door, willing it to unlock.

What came next was a blur. Despite how prepared I was, when the power first touched something deep inside me it was overwhelming. As if someone had lit... no, not just a candle but a miniature sun within a room of complete darkness. The energy washed over me, engulfed my entire being with an intimate touch that changed something fundamental. There was no pain or any other discomfort though. It was not an alien or consuming touch but something entirely... breathtaking. Then came the knowledge, the understanding of my element, like a new world opening before me.

Only much later would I understand that, when I finally opened my eyes, it wasn't primarily because of the ceremony but rather my new appearance that had everyone looking at me stunned...

END 03-01a, click next to continue...


	36. 0301b: Dawn of the New Adventure!

Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded

Part: Third Arc, Episode 1

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi .at. gmx . de)

Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran

Status: Beta

Rating: R

Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...

Pairings: Ash/Dawn(/May?), Brock/Ako, Leaf/Misty, added as revealed

Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.

Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog ((hypertext) mysticmew44 . blogspot . de), M&M DreamWorks Archive ((hypertext) mysticmew . bplaced . net), Fanfiction . net (www . fanfiction . net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.

Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.

Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew

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**Later that night (Pikachu)**

"I still have my doubts about this bunch standing between the freedom of our kind and essential obliteration."

At the comment I looked back with a slight frown towards Naru who was observing the scene of almost all the present Pokémon swarming around Prinplup... or perhaps Empoleon would be the right term now.

The result of the light that had immersed Dawn before being directed at Prinplup had been almost disappointing at first glance, since all it seemed to do was force a further evolution step. But the end result had been different after all. The coloring was the first giveaway. Where a normal Empoleon was a dark blue, most of my friend's body had turned a pure white with light blue edges that appeared to be crystallized. Only the crown and feet were the same, although the yellow really leaned more towards a golden hue. And that was just the outward appearance. The raw power radiating from Empoleon was something that we could all feel quite clearly. Right now I wasn't even sure I could match him in that department with my limiter off.

"I think he likes the attention a little too much." I shrugged as I gave my reply to the young Eevee, having begun to learn how to deal with her a little more. And there was far less bite behind her bark now compared to before. In fact, I could swear I detected a note of grudging fondness which made me smile just a fraction. "But it's okay. Everyone's nervous and that's why it is important to let go a little when you can." At least that sounded like something Ash might say... perhaps.

My confidence dropped slightly when I saw Naru shrug. "Whatever you say, _fearless leader_." I grimaced. She just had to bring that up, didn't she? And all that because I had tried to be helpful to Ash and everyone else...

**Flashback**

Wandering the hallways of the Contest Hall on Twinheart was becoming a habit. Seeing though as Ash had enough to occupy his time, I generally left the trio alone, not even bothering to fully try and understand the complexity of their relationship. They seemed generally happy right now, that was all that mattered to me.

Much more important was the near future and our role in it. This was going to be different from all those battles we had been in before. Fight for our Trainers, give it our best within a clear set of rules and occasionally beating up a few – generally dangerous but stupid – bad guys. That had been simple. I had lived with Ash long enough to understand the gravity of the situation we were in now and our own responsibility. Unfortunately I wasn't so sure everyone else did as well. I could even understand why. Not everyone naturally had as much exposure to human society, habits and thought process as I and a few others had and even with that I sometimes didn't understand them fully.

I did, however, understand what Mew had been through and the kind of responsibility she was taking on all by herself. We might have no direct connection to the actions of the past but that didn't mean we as Pokémon could completely ignore our part in this. Making everyone understand that was the least thing I could try and do for Mew's sake. Without her and her companions, we wouldn't even be here after all.

I had watched her quite a bit in the short time she had been with us. That she seemed to be carrying the weight of our race as a whole on her small shoulders and seemingly had all intention of continuing to do so was saddening and had in fact given me the incentive to do something about it.

Locating my fellow Pokémon wasn't that hard. Seeing the need for everyone to relax while giving some of our Trainer's some personal space, Leaf had arranged a small area of the Contest Hall for us to serve a recreational purpose – whatever that meant exactly. Since there was a small pool as well, it was generally received well.

It seemed like I was in luck since pretty much everyone was present right now. They were creating quite the noise level as well. Misty's Pokémon were enjoying a game of water tag it seemed – well, the small ones at least –, joined by some of the others, Pachirisu was chasing around Jolteon over something, which quickly escalated when some of the other sisters joined in...

I stood at the entrance for a moment, sweating slightly at the scene of barely controlled chaos.

"They are so noisy. Are you lot really intending to fight this Team Rocket like that?" I jumped slightly, looking around for quite some time until I finally found Naru lazing about on top of the archway in front of the entrance.

It was saddening to see the Eevee struggling to relax and let go of her guarded attitude. Even more so to think about the reason behind that struggle. Was it really a surprise that she was taking this so seriously? Naru had been so happy once reunited with her sisters, but it seemed that even that wouldn't change what the bad experiences in her life had done to her.

"Ah, it's not so bad. They can all be pretty focused when necessary." Shrugging slightly, I decided that there would be much more time later to try and coax the Eevee out of her gloomy mood. Especially since right now I wasn't even fully disagreeing with her. Moving towards the rest of the Pokémon, I raised my voice a little to be heard over the general racket. "Hey, guys, can I have a moment?!"

The reaction wasn't very promising sadly. In fact Pachirisu's little game of chase had attracted even more participants, the Water Pokémon were so engrossed in their game and most of Leaf's Dark-types were just lazily lounging around, giving me irritated looks. Only Prinplup and Lopunny were not contributing to the chaos... Instead they were more into each other.

I tried to shout again, a little louder at the time. At least that got the lovebird's attention but not much more. A large sweatdrop began to build on my forehead, I was sure of that, and I winced as I heard Naru's snort behind me.

"I am sure they are all very capable, yes. Allow me." Still fascinated by the spectacle I watched as her form briefly glowed, not quite with the same intensity as a regular evolution, before changing into that of a Glaceon. The fascination gave room to a bit of dread as I saw her focus on the pool before starting to inhale. Before I could stop her though she fired a controlled Ice Beam, freezing part of the water and the ground in front of the pool – coincidentally exactly where Pachirisu and the others had escalated their chase and causing them to halt abruptly confused and quite a bit annoyed. Naru smirked slightly. "They are all yours, _fearless leader_." I gulped slightly at her piercing stare and couldn't quite say whether she was messing with me or being dead serious. It was just... eerie. And what was it with the 'leader' thing anyway?

Seeing as everyone's attention was now fully focused on us – or me since Naru had conveniently scurried away, I faced all the expectant faces, suddenly feeling rather put on. "Err, right." I swore I heard Naru giggling behind me and wasn't all too sure whether to be happy or annoyed by that!

"Err, I'm not really good with this, so I'll make it short and simple. You are all more or less aware of what will be happening from now on, right?" The mood dropped noticeably at that, quiet muttering breaking out between them that I quickly cut into. "I'm sure none of you have any intention of not supporting their Trainers... our friends, so I won't even ask. However, this isn't just an issue of fighting for or – as will be the case soon – with them. Most of you heard about our history from Lady Mew. This... war isn't just about the humans or us Pokémon. It concerns all of us. Lady Mew and her friends wanted nothing more than peace between humans and us. So I think we all should think about that and what we can do to contribute to that goal. It's our future as well. I'm sure you are all happy with your Trainers, yet there are so many of us and so many humans that didn't have the same experiences."

I took a deep breath, noticing the rapt attention of everyone. It made me rather nervous again. To be fair I wasn't even sure what I was going to say, it all just came flowing out. "I think... I think it would be wonderful if everyone could experience the same kind of friendship and love we have, don't you think so?" At this everyone nodded or gave various cries of confirmation, a more excited mood sweeping over the group again, yet different from before. "Then we all have to work for that future from now. Not as Trainers and Pokémon, but as friends working for the same goal." The answering cheer startled me a little but I couldn't help but smile, wondering what Mew would think if she was here.

**End Flashback**

"You are not going to let this go, are you?" On one hand I was glad that Naru was starting to loosen up a little around us, but at the same time I wasn't too sure about being the target of the Eevee's embarrassing comments. Of course, I'd take that any day over the other options. At least I got the attention I wanted, even if it was a dubious kind.

Seeing the barely concealed smirk, I groaned. Why did she have to get it into her head that I was now the 'leader' of our group anyway? It had not helped at all when Ash had been elected as such among our Trainers. "I think it's fitting, at least you can get them motivated. I thought that's what a human leader usually is supposed to do." The most irritating thing was that she could make these comments with such a straight face and even voice that it was almost impossible to say if she was being serious or not. Strangely... As much as it tended to annoy me, I was also starting to enjoy the banter. There was just so much that I could deal with though...

"I think I'm going to save my friend from too much attention," I grasped onto the one thing I had at the moment and hurried over to the excited group surrounding Empoleon...

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**(Ako)**

The tent we had been led to after our return to the city – or what used to be a city – was a little out of the way from the main crews which I could tell most of us were rather grateful for. No one was apparently rather keen on sleep though yet. Whether that was because some of us hadn't been sleeping well to begin with or had too much from sitting around like the period between the end of the Contest and now was hard to say.

Interestingly enough the one who actually had done something exhausting – as much as I could judge that – was the most upbeat and unaffected as it seemed. _She just takes it all in stride_, I thought with a little envy and a glance towards where Dawn was sitting with Ash and May, back in her normal clothes for now.

The new outfit had definitely been a surprise and it was hard to suppress another giggle at Dawn's initial reaction to the change in appearance. After her 'transformation' she had been wearing a long, sleeveless white dress – completely shoulder-free – falling a little over mid-thigh with cuts on both sides. I admit I could see, of course, why the younger girl had reacted like that, seeing as it was just a little bit on the revealing side and even the silvery short pants covering about the length of the dress or the socks just barely glimpsing out of the short boots didn't help much to hide the display of bare legs. Aside from that though, I found the rest of the outfit very pretty. The darker silvery tone of the pants and the elbow-long, fingerless gloves, the golden boots, ring-like bracelets around her wrists and equally colored belt holding the dress in place, together with the diadem and the long cape had made Dawn seem somewhat... regal and mature.

In the end the new outfit had been more of a side attraction, of course. The entire ceremony had been rather spectacular, even from an outside view. Especially for me since I wasn't really connected to any of it. Just admitting that drove past all of the awe and straight to the point. My being here would in the end not have much of an impact. What could I do in the face of everyone else wielding such power? My own skills paled in comparison to that.

"Now then, let's make this short. Since you have settled on your destinations already, there is just one last thing I can do for you at this point." Cynthia heaved up a small suitcase on the table and flipped it open. The inside revealed several small badges with League emblems on the front. They reminded me of the one that Ash had and I realized what they actually were for, even before Cynthia explained.

"You should have no problems getting anywhere with these. All of them have an ID that can be scanned and will clearly identify you as a high-level League member. I doubt I have to tell you not to do any mischief with them." There was a pause in which many of us chuckled nervously at the Grand Champion's idea of a joke. It was always scary when normally composed and serious people did that!

"Basically they are similar to Ash's temporary badge. Your general Pokémon limit will be increased and can be upgraded more in cases where you really need to. They'll also serve to quickly switch your Pokémon if you need a backup or something specific in a certain situation."

Taking my own badge, I once again wondered if I even deserved this. Necessity aside, all of the others had accomplished something already. Ash and Leaf were League Champions, Dawn and May Top Coordinators, Misty a successful Gym Leader, the same went for Brock along with his skills as a Field Medic. All I had were good marks and recommendations. Just one more thing to make me feel out of place in this group. Wouldn't I just been dragging them down?

"Um, what about me?" Blinking I looked over at Dawn and her lack of one the badges, wondering if Cynthia had actually forgotten something... Perhaps I really shouldn't have gotten one in the first place... But before I could complete that thought process, Cynthia just smiled and with a click, revealed another compartment of the case, revealing two more badges, distinctively different from the others. It didn't take me long to recognize what they were, especially since Leaf was wearing her own along with Cynthia...

"I talked this over with the rest of the Elites and we actually all agree on it. Just so that you know, we would have made this decision even without the situation as it is now. Would you accept this... Master Dawn?" The brief round of sharp gasps and shock was quickly followed by a long silence, everyone looking expectantly at the young bluenette who, after her own initial shock, seemed to have some mental exchange with her boyfriend and a brief look shared with May. I was honestly thinking she'd refuse. Those two were rather similar in their thinking...

But things were different now, I had to realize once again. "Normally I'd say it's a little early for that but..." Trailing off, Dawn took a deep breath before nodding firmly and accepting the badge with as such dignity as she could master.

When Cynthia held out the second badge, Ash merely sighed, although it seemed far less resigned when one might think. "I guess I can't play around anymore. Wouldn't look good with my girlfriend being a Master before me, would it?" He grinned, grabbed the badge and exchanged it with the one he was wearing right now.

Cynthia nodded. "Good. Let me explain how this works... oh right, here." With that she produced another small case containing Pokégears. "Those of you who don't have one... Let me explain how the badge functions work in combination with these." A little numbly, I grabbed one of the devices as well, feeling more and more unreal and unjustly spoiled at the moment.

_Maybe Brock had been right to want me out of this_, I wondered while listening to Cynthia's explanations. Yet, it was too late for that now. I had made a commitment and what good would the promise I had made to Altaria and myself that day have been, if I already gave up here? I'd really like to say that I was doing this for Brock and to a much greater degree that was probably the truth, yet this thinking was naïve and shouldn't be my first concern. I was a trained Field Medic. And that had to come before anything else.

Those six, all of which were actually younger than myself, were ready to take on something so enormous. Was I really entitled to sit here and wallow in self-pity over my lack of importance or the fact that I was going to be separated from my fiancé? No, I had no right to do that.

The small measure of confidence and purpose I had just found wasn't supposed to last long though. And once again it was young Dawn who would leave me once again with mixed feelings. "There's one last thing I'd like to bring up." She looked at both Brock and I, my fiancé obviously just as surprised at the sudden attention as I was. "We haven't really spelled it out but you probably wondered in which group we'd leave Ako." She held up a hand to forestall any reply, although I was really wondering what she was getting at here. It's not that I did not understand the simple logic. What was there left to talk about?

"I did not want to give you any false hopes before I could give it a test after the bonding was done but I'm confident now that I can pull of basic healing without any trouble now, so... I think it would be unfair to have Brock and Ako separated since there really isn't much of a reason anymore to have her in our group."

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**(Ash)**

The night air was quite chilly and I really preferred not to be out here. Not just for the sake of the temperature but also because I had no greater wish to see the desolate sight outside of the tent more than necessary. As much as I agreed that this had been necessary to fully drive home in what situation we were now in, there was only so much exposure I could tolerate. Some of us probably far less.

However, I had to make the best of this opportunity. Too long had I pushed back this action and already felt plenty bad for it to begin with. So when I had noticed May slipping out, I had only hesitated a moment before slipping away from a sleeping Dawn to follow discreetly. It did not take me long to locate her just a few feet away, sitting on a larger piece of rubble with her back to the tent.

For a moment I felt myself freeze, hesitating because I really didn't know how to do this right or if there even was a right way to begin with. How had it all become so complicated? I almost wished – regardless how artificial and in the end not real – that the brief connection after Dawn's healing had lasted. Now we were back where we started before this all happened. Just that I couldn't ignore the complication anymore. I couldn't ignore my own heart anymore.

In the end I did not say anything as I joined May in her silent observation of the ruins of a once beautiful city. That silence stretched out to an uncomfortable length that seemed to soak in the lingering air of destruction and despair that was left behind in this place. Grimacing, I finally made to say something, but stopped as I saw May's slight tremble.

"I don't know if I can do this."

There wasn't really a need to explain what she meant. I understood all too well. I tried to act cool and like a leader should – regardless how much I didn't want that responsibility – but the scope of what we were up against was so overwhelming it scared me quite a lot as well. If I let myself think about it too much, I was sure that I would easily react like that, too. "But this," I gestured at the ruined city, "is why I can. Why I must. When I look at this, I know I cannot sit still and let it happen again." We both knew that this was wishful feeling and the possibility that we would see this again would be quite high but that would not stop me from trying.

"But... what can I do... I want to help, I really do. But seeing this and..." May stopped, then for the first time looked at me with some tears in her eyes that made my heart clench because I knew that they were partially my fault for not acting earlier. "Seeing you two together, what place do I..."

"May," I stopped her and gently put a finger on her lips. That at least had the desired effect of stopping her tears because she was too surprised. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for acting like I didn't care at all."

Yes, this was why I couldn't let the bad things affect me. I had a responsibility, not just to Dawn but May as well. That was the one thing I had realized during Dawn's ceremony. Not just had I allowed Dawn to set the path for our travels and goals since the Sinnoh League but she had also been the driving force between most of the major events since then. Not that I was begrudging her that but I was angry at my own passivity and ashamed of my own reaction towards May while Dawn – who should have been the most negatively affected had forced the issue.

"Ash, that's not..."

I shook my head. "Please, let me say this. I should have done so right away. Regardless how much I try to justify that I was just reacting the way I did because I did not want to cause any grief, regardless how normal such a reaction may have been, in the end the real reason was... that I just didn't want to see what was there."

Yes, I had turned away from the truth at that time. Anyone might have done that in my place. Unfortunately with the brief glimpse of a harmonized bond, I could not do that anymore. The feelings were there and they had been there for a long time which had me scared me at that time for how it could affect what I had with Dawn.

My feelings for May had never been just a strong attraction or crush, they had grown deeper already by the time we had first parted company. Not the same intensity and certainty that I had with Dawn but the first blossoms of love. It had been almost the same as Dawn and I had been before our training excursion. I was sure that given the same opportunity Dawn and I had, could have easily been achieved with May as well.

And I knew May needed to hear that. Not necessarily in all this detail right now but she needed to know that this chance we were giving her wasn't just because some psychic glimpse into a possible future.

"I wasn't very honest with you or myself." Resisting the urge to turn away, I rested my hands on May's shoulders, finding myself slightly lost in the wonder-filled blue eyes which I truly did not wish to see filled with such hesitation after she had risked so much heartache with her confession. That's right, it was time for a suitable response to all that courage. "I am happy with Dawn, yet – given the chance – I think... I know that I could... No..."

I had to take another deep breath and briefly closed my eyes at this point, clamping down on my own frustration to do this right. Many memories passed in front of my mind's eyes. Happy memories, memories filled with fun and laughter. It had been a more easy camaraderie between May and I, but something had been there all the time, growing slow and steady yet unnoticed by two kids with little understanding of love as it was. I understood now.

With more conviction and courage than before, I looked her straight in the eyes, making sure she understood just how honest I was. "I know that I do love you, May." There it was out. I had finally done it and as cheesy as I always found the metaphor... I really felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

Of course, the tears were back but this time not so much because of sadness or frustration. "Ash, I..." She swallowed hard and I pulled her head gently against my shoulder, feeling a lot of the tension drain away, not just from her but from me as well. "Thank you."

I smiled, content for the moment with how things were. It was another step. Nothing more but definitely not anything less. "It's okay. I can't promise this will work. But if Dawn is willing to try..." I shook my head before I could fall into the familiar pattern again. "No, since we are both willing to try, please stop doubting yourself. You have never done anything wrong to us other than being honest."

The cold night air suddenly didn't seem so bothersome anymore as we sat like this for awhile longer in a much more comfortable silence.

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**(Leaf)**

Sleep wasn't really coming. Somehow I had the feeling it was the same for everyone and not just for the various reason everyone had had after the conclusion at Twinheart. Today I had the feeling it was more about what had happened today and the inevitable that would start tomorrow.

"It's kind of sad actually." I looked up startled at the nostalgic tone from my girlfriend. I hadn't even been sure that Misty was still awake. It was hard to tell sometimes these days what she was really feeling. Of course that worried me but what else could I do other than being there for her? This kind of trauma didn't just simply disappear from some wise words.

So for a bit I had wondered if the exhaustion had finally caught up with her. With all the stress she had been under and her sleep further interrupted by nightmares, I had actually expected it to happen at some point. Instead though Misty sat up suddenly, prompting me to do the same.

"All of us are finally together and now we have to split up again." So, that was it. I could understand the feeling, although I did not have the same kind of connection that the others had to each other. Both Ako and I were the outsiders. Until about a year ago only Ash had known about me as well and even that friendship – as precious as it was to me – had only had a year at best to really grow. For Misty, who had travelled with Ash and Brock and known May and Dawn to some degree, this was harder. I was sure she would have liked to spend some time with them without all this baggage.

Though I should probably say something, I didn't get past opening my mouth. What exactly should I say? What could I say? Everything that came to mind right now would sound hollow. Was this really the best I could do for the one I had grown to love? Was I truly that helpless?

Before I could further lament my own helplessness, Misty suddenly turned around with a grin. It was a little forced but I could tell there was some genuine effort behind it. "I'm going to be okay, really." At my doubtful expression, her grin faltered a little but the firm resolve in her eyes stayed and I wasn't so sure anymore whether or not it was necessary a bad thing. "Probably not today or tomorrow, probably not even until this is all over. But... this is too important to have me moping around right now. We've got our _mission_ after all. That's what we should concentrate on now. Everything else can come later."

I wasn't sure whether it was okay if everything else came later, some stuff only got worse as you kept bottling it up. That was something I had learned recently as well in regards to my old feelings for Rebecca. Yet, Misty had a point, of course. We had no time to sit around and lament. Nothing would get done and the rest of the world may just end up like Cerulean as well.

I really should believe in Misty a little more, I realized with a start. Worrying about the one you loved was all well and good. At the same time we needed to trust in each other as well. "You are right, of course." Lightly I reached out for her hand and found it grasped tightly almost immediately. "You are strong, Misty. I always thought so. You can get through this as well, I know." Yes, the kind of strength this beautiful young woman possessed had drawn me in from the beginning. She had even stood up for me and her feelings against her family. She had build up the reputation of Cerulean City's Gym from rock bottom to something respectable in a very short time and all that despite being pressured into the task.

There was no reason I should doubt that she would get through this as well and move on.

Tugging on her hand, there was no resistance as I drew her against me, feeling some tension immediately drawn away from her body. This was what I could do for her right now. This comfort was something that only I could give her. Everything else had no immediate solution and all I could do was believe in and support my girlfriend in her recovery.

"I can be strong now since I know you'll be there," Misty whispered and confirmed my own thoughts on the matter. She was doing a lot better after all. Ever since Dawn's ceremony, there was something calmer about her which should give me hope. She had even been the first to congratulate Dawn on her new Master status. Maybe she really was starting to recover from her experience.

We sat like this for several minutes, her head against my shoulder, comfortable and for once with an air of relative peace ever since our escape from Cerulean City days ago. My own concerns were also slowly dissipating, returning some semblance of order to what was still a fresh relationship. No one could live with that gloom all the time after all. Misty was making an effort, so I should do the same.

"So, as long as I am here, there's no need to feel lonely with everyone else gone, is there?" Cerulean eyes blinked up at me cutely when Misty pulled back. "Or should I be worried about something? Perhaps you are tired of me already and want to join Ash's little harem?"

I had a hard time to suppress a chuckle or even a full-blown laugh at the momentary shocked and disbelieving expression, before Misty's eyes narrowed, yet there was a flicker of gratitude that I barely caught and assured me that I was doing the right thing. I had missed this light teasing and banter after all and it seemed Misty was just as glad for this normal act.

"Oh, I don't know. The idea sounds tempting. I'd not only have my childhood crush but also two beautiful girls. Best of both worlds I suppose." And apparently her wit and comebacks had not suffered either. It made me genuinely happy since that was one of the things I had always loved a lot. That fierce, competitive spirit which had always been so much fun to draw out.

"Too bad then." I suddenly slipped one arm around the other girl and pulled her sharply forward, pressing my lips against hers. For once these days it was not a kiss filled with almost feverish passion, meant to block out the bad things. "I already caught you. And I won't let you go without a fight." The next kiss was definitely getting more heated but it was a much cleaner expression of desire at this point.

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**(Dawn)**

Unnoticed I slipped away from the tent, back inside the tent. Most girls in my situation would probably have not been as accepting and actually happy about this development. What passed as normal had been long redefined though. Exactly when I wasn't sure. Perhaps I should rather think it had happened in various stages. The first had probably been meeting Ash. Travelling with someone else had sounded nice at first but I hadn't truly known how much it would change me. Then came the three training months before the Sinnoh League that redefined my understanding of both my own limitations and my feelings for Ash.

Learning of my psychic powers and finally meeting with Mew came only recently though and – as much as I had been scared and a little resentful of it at first – had become such an essential part of myself. It was something that was hard to put into words and I did realize just how changed I had to appear to everyone else sometimes. Yet, I understood so much more now. My own place in this world and the responsibilities I had within it. The ceremony today was not really another big step but more an extension of the last one. That's why I felt no discomfort upon seeing Ash and May together or my boyfriend finally giving an honest voice to his feelings. It made me glad instead, giving me hope that we could truly make this work.

Seeing as those two would probably be out there a little longer and I wasn't particularly tired, I decided to put to test my newly awakened powers. That was pretty much my reason why I couldn't sleep anyway. Being filled with all this power hadn't been exhausting at all, quite the opposite. I felt like I could perform three Grand Festivals back to back without any break right now!

Finding a secluded space in a corner of the large tent, I sat down cross-legged and closed my eyes. Meditation came as second nature to me by now but even I was surprised how easy it was to immerse my mind into the spiritual flow and reach out all around me. Was this how it was for seasoned psychics like Sabrina? I hardly needed any effort at all to see where everyone was and what they were doing. It was easier for those I knew but even random helpers within my broad radius were easy to read with just a little effort. I did not pry too deeply – I had no intention to violate anyone's privacy –, merely for a brief glimpse of their surface thoughts, before moving on.

_What an amazing feeling_, I thought elated, having a hard time reigning in my excitement. This was truly going far beyond mere psychic ability. The Light energy was warm and comforting. Light was everywhere, even in the deepest shadows, light connected and sustained every life. Sending my mind through these endless paths was a multitude more effective than using mere psychic power.

Briefly I touched upon Leaf and Misty, purposefully trying to avoid prying too deeply. I was concerned about the redhead's state of mind like everyone else but ultimately it was not my place to deal with it. This was something those two had to work out between themselves. Mental recovery was something even my new powers couldn't really heal. Misty had to make that effort. And it seemed like she was a lot calmer right now... and definitely busy with something I shouldn't witness!

Quickly moving on, my brief embarrassment turned into pleased thoughts when I found Brock and Ako resting, in fact perhaps the only two close to sleep right now. I was glad I had been able to nip that particular problem in the bud. Ash had been feeling bad with the situation to begin with ever since he had realized it would end up like this. Granted, that I had urged Ako to go with the other group was both for her sake as it was for our own. Ash, May and I had a lot left to work out. That would be awkward with someone else around, especially someone who would rather be with her own fiancé. Besides, between a League Champion and two Top Coordinators – not to mention two Masters – and my new powers, we should have far less problems initially as the other group.

That had truly been a surprise though. I believe the only reason why I hadn't been shocked totally into inaction had been because of everything that had happened today. Being named Master had seemed almost... normal. A sad thought actually because I understood exactly what Cynthia and the League meant to do with this. No pure Top Coordinator had ever reached an official Master status. For that alone, even without the current crisis, I probably wouldn't have refused, regardless how much it seemed too soon. I hadn't even been travelling for more than two years. Yet I had already gotten so far...

That made it even more important that I did my best now. For my friends, my loved ones... and for this world that had given me so many amazing adventures, so many memories. I wanted to make much more of them. With other humans and Pokémon alike.

Letting my mind wander, I soon let myself immerse into the flow of Light energy, not particularly looking for anything, yet trying to get a better feel for these new powers, their range and limits. It was not something that could be put into words and time lost its meaning in this state. As such it wasn't much of a surprise that when something tugged at my consciousness, demanding my attention, that I could feel the intensity of the light having changed outside with the slow rise of the sun.

Focusing on what had attracted my attention, I could pick out low voices one of them belonging to Cynthia, troubled and slightly agitated. Picking up sounds was a lot harder actually and it took me quite some effort to focus before I could understand what Cynthia and another man were talking about, my concentration nearly slipping when I made out the words 'Team Rocket' and 'attack'. Finally I managed to pierce together though what was happening. Apparently some Team Rocket members had either still been in the area – or brazen enough to return – and were targeting the nearby Power Plant.

"We shouldn't bother them with the details. I shall go myself. Please let the kids know that I had some urgent business to attend to and see to what we have planned out."

Disengaging my focus, I discovered that doing this for hours might not be such a good idea as I felt rather disorientated for a moment. Shaking my head, I stood nonetheless, shaking out my legs before swiftly moving towards the rest of our group. Cynthia might have our best interests in mind but this was in fact a good opportunity to battle together one more time – not to mention to test out my new abilities. Somehow I had the feeling everyone else would agree with me.

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**(May)**

_There's quite a lot of them_, I thought, just a tad bit apprehensive. Of course, most the apprehension was countered by the fact that we were practically right in front of their eyes on the water and no one could see us thanks to the shimmering field of light around us. Well, shimmering to us, for everyone else it was like was nothing was there. Something about bending the light or such as Dawn had explained it. I didn't really care much for the specifics.

The decision had been quick and unanimous after Dawn had roused us. Cynthia had lightly protested but eventually given in. I, for one, definitely felt the need to cut loose. The Team Rocket members here didn't seem to be anything special. Even the one who was seemingly in charge was wearing the normal uniform.

*Don't get cocky.* I winced at Dawn's mental voice in my head. This was different from the short bond we had shared before and felt just a little invasive, even if I could see the huge advantages. *Just because they look ordinary, doesn't mean they are no danger.*

Grimacing, I accepted the reprimand. She was right, of course. We couldn't afford to take anything lightly. From now on, our battles wouldn't be over with the sound of buzzer or the declaration of a winner. Even with all that happened, it hadn't really sunken in yet and part of me refused to accept the harshness where battles were not just a sport and competitive element.

*I know how you feel. It doesn't seem real. But we've all seen what they are willing to do now. If we hesitate, Cerulean won't be the only place that suffers like this,* Ash reasoned quietly, his thoughts calm and focused, ready for battle. That was about all I could feel through this simple mental connection though since most of Dawn's attention was concentrated on keeping up her invisibility technique around Blastoise and Feraligatr.

Focusing back on the activity on land, I narrowed my eyes at seeing the Team Rocket members scurrying around. Some were engaged with what little resistance League personnel could still muster here but they seemed not really focused to press their numeric advantage into victory. *What are they doing?* I wondered aloud.

*I'd say trying to blow up the power plant,* Ash replied and now that he had said it, their activities made more sense. I couldn't see anything clearly from this distance but they really seemed to be placing something along the foundation of the building. This was bad. If the power plant was blown-up Kanto's electrical supply would take a hard blow and cause even more chaos. Definitely something that would play right into Team Rocket's plan.

*Get ready. We are about to start.* I tensed, one hand falling to the belt with my Pokéballs. *Remember hit them hard and fast.* Although it wasn't necessary, I still found myself nodding. I could do this. After all they had done for me, regardless of my own doubts, I couldn't let them down. Ash's small confession had only cemented that fact for me.

All of a sudden the rock face to the west exploded outwards, revealing Brock's Steelix with the others standing on top of its head. Startled, everyone below turned their attention to the scene. I would have been shocked too, if I hadn't known of the hastily-made plan before. Brock and Misty had both known there was a secret shaft inside the Rock Tunnel that had collapsed years ago. But the passageway was still there and as such the amount of rock easier to tunnel through.

*Now!*

Our Pokémon lurched forward, the light field disappearing, and as soon as we had reached land, I jumped, throwing my Pokéballs forward in one fluid motion. The sound of released Pokémon was echoed by those from Ash and Dawn and before the Rockets knew what was happening, they were upon them. The attackers fighting with the defenders turned to face the new threat but the speed of the assault caught them off guard.

Unfortunately it could have gone a lot better. The tenacity of those creatures Team Rocket had apparently termed Rage Pokémon proved once again a problem. While a lot of them were taken out in the initial assault, others held strong and began to fight back even more enraged, quickly joined by others as the Rockets showed they had not even began to exhaust their firepower yet.

That was when the rest of the group, finished with their descent, came down quite severely in the midst of the attackers. It was pure chaos and yet ominously coordinated. There wasn't much need for individual commands as our Pokémon joined together to bring down each enemy one by one. Where we had struggled so much on Twinheart, now every attack had an enormous effect.

The reason for that still stood where we had landed, once again clad in that outfit which I couldn't help but find quite a bit distracting. Hands outstretched to the sight, glowing in a strong light, that radiated outward. I could feel the rush of power myself to a lesser degree since she seemed more focused on our Pokémon right now. The experience was humbling but I had no time to think about it.

Spotting two Rockets at the base of the power plant I saw how they seemed to be crouched over something and remembered what Ash had said. "Oh no, you don't!" I was surprised by my own burst of speed, crossing the distance in what felt like an instant, lashing out with a punch that sent the unprepared Rocket off like their namesake, his companion faring no better as Blaziken was right there to pick him off.

Amazed I looked down at myself and then back to Dawn, surrounded by her Pokémon in a loose half-circle. It really was scary, to think a human could wield all that power... and even more so to think this was waiting for me as well. At the same time, the sight left me in a good bit of awe as well, proud of the girl I had fallen in love with for doing all this with such natural ease.

Then I shook my head and pulled my mind back into focus. There was still a lot to do. Dawn was providing us all with such an awesome boost and we couldn't waste it!

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**(Ash)**

_This is it. This is how it should be._

Impressed, humbled and a good bit proud I watched May dash forward again, dodging a random flamethrower, twist around the punch of a Rhydon, before finding her mark in form of the more vulnerable Scyther, smashing it hard into the ground and right into the path of a devastating flamethrower from her Ninetails while Blaziken had followed up the Rhydon's confusion with a blazing kick that had enough force to catapult the massive Pokémon backwards as if fired by a slingshot.

On the other end of the isolated land strip, the rest of our group were also making the best out of the confusion and boost in ability. Misty had taken to the water and her Pokémon were like an angry wave, overwhelming everything in their way in a concentrated effort of Water attacks that only one who had specialized in one elemental type could perform this efficiently. I would have been a little put off by the sheer viciousness of the assault, yet this might be something she needed to do. To cut loose and let all these negative feelings out. As saddening as it was, there was no saving those poor souls anyway. Hesitation against these foes brought nothing – a lesson I had already learned.

Brock was more conservative in a way but I could clearly see how much he had improved in the time we had not seen each other. With Dawn's power boost, barely anything could deter Steelix from its path and Swampert on his head made up for any danger a Fire attack might pose. Brock might have the least freedom in this environment though, considering that especially earth attacks were dangerous to the terrain and the power plant in extension. Despite that, he made up for it with tactic, picking his targets carefully while providing defense for those that needed it.

Leaf was efficiency in perfection. Her Pokémon did not need any instruction as they moved around engaging their foes while Leaf used the distraction to sneak up on the Rockets and taking them out. From prior experience we knew that these Rage Pokémon would not stop with their _Trainers_ taken out but at the least it stopped more opponents from being released.

The increase in power was mind-boggling and would have been hard to believe if I couldn't feel it myself. That gentle, invigorating light, the power Dawn was giving us all so that we could fight all that much better. It wasn't at all what one might have expected, yet oddly fitting for the girl that I had seen grow so much during our journey together. Most people in her position would have used this power as their own strength and no one could have faulted her for doing the same. Not Dawn though.

Her Pokémon were keeping a protective circle around her, repelling every attack with an almost brutal efficiency, revealing quite clearly that they were profiting from the boost the most. I had the feeling that if they wanted to, this battle could be finished very soon but Dawn wanted to give everyone a chance to fight together, to part ways with a good memory and some hope back in our hearts.

My eyes narrowed as I spotted the blurs that were Pikachu and Naru racing through enemy lines. With the boost, Pikachu was pretty much an unstoppable lightning bolt in more than just the figurative sense, while Naru was shifting and accumulating boosts so fast that she was actually keeping pace, more or less. I smiled softly, seeing those two harmonizing so much, but then decided I had waited long enough.

Releasing the rest of my Pokémon, I joined the fray once more. We had practiced group battles quite a lot and as such I could safely say that much like Leaf's team there was no need for any complex orders. My target was also clear. There was a larger cluster of opponents that so far resisted the assault. Everyone else was having their hands full though and couldn't mount a concentrated offense.

Having my Pokémon split into familiar groups – the Sinnoh team led by Infernape and a group consisting of Venusaur, Pidgeot, Feraligatr and Swellow led by Charizard – they descended on the enemy with both the discipline of many battles and training session but also the righteous fury of seeing their fellow kind twisted into such unnatural abominations.

Frankly, it was no contest. The opponents might have held out but against the concentrated pincer assault from the best of my team their defense crumbled liked sandpaper before a force of nature.

Taking a page out Leaf's book, I focused on the Rockets. While I had no particular special skill or fighting ability, the form of training Dawn and I had underwent with our Pokémon had left us in a superb physical condition. With the extra boost right now, I was more than confident enough to square off with these criminals, dispatching them quickly.

Once the last of the opposition fell I spared a quick glance around, seeing that the area had been fully cleared of enemies, bathing everything in a momentary, stunned silence. Had it really happened so fast? Right now, it seemed like barely any time had passed. Had we really defeated so many enemies in such a short time? It seemed unreal and yet... If that was the scope with just Dawn's abilities alone, then perhaps we really could do this. Perhaps...

The sound of a single released Pokémon was almost deafening and as my head snapped around towards its source, I realized the apparent leader of the mission was still there. Right now though, my gaze was fixed, somewhat unbelieving on what appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary... Ditto.

Of course, I should stop expecting ordinary things, as was proven just a moment later as the lone Rocket shouted one command, simple and just about everything you could expect after releasing a Ditto, but one that should once again change everything.

"Transform!"

The cry the Ditto emitted was as horrible as the sound of crackling dark energy that suddenly enveloped the unassuming Pokémon, contorting its shape, growing in size and slowly forming into something I knew should be impossible...

Jagged wings spread forth as the creature rose of the ground, letting out a piercing cry. There was no mistake about it and yet my mind was not able to wrap itself around the concept. Right before our eyes was something no Ditto should be able to imitate. A grotesque, black and dull bronze version of the Legendary Pokémon...

Zapdos.

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**(Dawn)**

The sudden silence enveloping the area just moments ago enveloped by the hectic sounds of battle was deafening, everyone's gaze riveted to the sight that should be impossible. To be frank, I was more surprised by how little surprised I actually was by this latest twist. Perhaps I had finally reached the point where new revelations couldn't shock me anymore...

The truth probably had more to do with being so intensely immersed in the flow of elemental energy. I could honestly say that it wasn't as easy as it might look on the outside. Using the Light for pure offense would in fact have been a lot easier since that would have required much less coordination and maintenance of a steady output. Yet, had I done this, I feared that I could have taken away all the excitement for the others. Not that I was suddenly advocating this kind of fighting, but at this point any kind of morale booster was a good thing.

Now though, I could no longer remain the passive participant. "This isn't the real one, right?" I didn't need to hear the answer actually. The flow of power was all off. Not like the other Rage Pokémon. There was a hint of the real thing still left within them. This Zapdos felt unnatural to the core. Simply a mass of both rage and an infinite despair with no way out since it lacked any connection to life.

"No. Considering how much Giovanni likes to play with DNA and trying to recreate Pokémon, I would say this is what we have here," Mew replied nonetheless and I could feel her revulsion and fury at the thought, reminded not only of Mewtwo but also faced with the audacity of using the genes of her companions like this. The implications were quite severe, however, that could wait for now. I wasn't sure what I felt myself but it wasn't quite anger, more like an overwhelming sadness.

"Ready, Pri... Empoleon?" Slowly I withdrew the Light energy into myself. This would slow down everyone else, yet it wasn't that it had been necessary to actually attain victory so far.

My oldest partner nodded resolutely and everyone else also formed up. For a moment I worried about the combination of a cloned Legendary made into a Rage Pokémon and on top of that an Electric type within close proximity to a power plant. That concern lasted for all but a moment before the power I had shared with everyone returned to me, filling me with confidence and strength. Basking in the feeling for a moment, I let it flow out to my team in a smaller but more concentrated mixture.

*Go.*

The rest of the group had been struggling by then with the powerful Electric attacks. Pikachu was fairly useless and had taken to a defense role with his superior elemental control, absorbing the dark lightning along with Leaf's Umbreon. The previous battles had left them somewhat exhausted though and aside from May's Glaceon and her sister shifting into the same form they could not adequately make use of Zapdos' only real weakness.

"Do you need to go up another level?" Mew had hung back, looking at the twisted monstrosity a little uncertainly. Her feelings dominated her awareness, otherwise she should know the answer without asking.

"No, I got this. Just make sure I have a clear shot." Focusing my own mind upon what I wanted to do, I walked slowly forward as my Pokémon joined the fray, bringing much needed relief. More like actually doing more than annoy the wild, enraged 'Legendary'. Mamoswine's Ice attacks were especially useful and Lopunny was riding Togekiss to dart in and out with quick Ice Beams as well. Espeon and Quilava had combined their powers to bombard Zapdos with a mixture of Fire and Psychic-type attack.

And then there was Empoleon. I think it shocked even the mindless Rage Pokémon the first time he jumped over an attack and stayed airborne, leaving it in a position to launch what at first glance looked like a Water Pulse and shouldn't even have bothered Zapdos. Apparently it thought the same thing and took the attack without trying to defend only to screech in clear pain as the mixed in Light energy had turned the water into a burning liquid much like yet even stronger than what Scald would do. The more devastating moves were the Steel/Light mixtures, however. Every time Empoleon landed a Metal Claw variant, the imbued Light power created a devastating effect, the purity of the element eating into the foul and twisted body.

Just like with every Rage Pokémon we had encountered so far, this one only seemed to get more enraged the more its opponent's efforts were forcing it back. This mindless drive that didn't care about wounds inflicted that should slow them down was bad enough with normal Pokémon, with something based on a Legendary, the result could very well be a long drawn-out fight.

Mew arrived on the scene just as Zapdos forced everyone back with a veritable wall of black lightning that had already proven to give even Pikachu some trouble. As my angered partner engaged Zapdos in a slugfest of overpowered attacks, I prepared my own. If this went on much longer, the power plant would definitely take damage, making all the previous effort for naught.

Reaching out, I moved my hands upwards, drawing a slightly curved shape with my powers. There was no need to solidify the shape for just a single shot. Instead I grasped the 'bow', a string snapping into existence and an arrow appearing between the fingers of my other hand.

Taking a deep breath, I forced my exhausted mind one last time into focus. I would have to cut back a little next time. Empowering everyone was really a bit of a stretch. It was a very good thing that I had a lot of prior practice and the exploration of last night had gotten me a better grasp on what I could and could not do right now.

*Empoleon, Mew, make me an opening.* Drawing the arrow back, I let my mind hone in on the target, acquiring a sort of tunnel vision. Zapdos was too occupied with its opponents to even take notice of me. Mew had powered up for a sphere of pure Light energy and Empoleon joined in for a Light-infused Flash Cannon from the other side. The large bird struggled against the assault and the clear agony the attacks caused.

I grimaced seeing Zapdos thrash about but didn't have to be concerned as a triple Fire Spin from Charizard, Infernape and Blaziken wrapped around it, keeping it relatively steady. _That's enough for me._ I could see it clearly now. The core of the twisted energy that had warped its body. A body that was only made for one purpose...

_I'm sorry._

Resolutely, I let go of the arrow.

_You can rest now._

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**(Domino)**

"What was that?! I was expecting something big... They aren't that strong after all."

I glared at the young boy, wondering for the umpteenth time why the Boss wanted him on this task force. Certainly he had some rough skill but no sense of professionalism, style or other kind of common sense. Everything about him screamed brash and unrefined. From the unruly black hair over the slightly too long red shirt, short light gray pants all the way to the worn-out blue sneakers... Well, what could you expect from a kid like him?

And I knew better than to dismiss what I had seen as an indication of strength... or more like I knew that it actually was one. In my line of work I had seen a lot of powerful stuff. The stronger the target, the more outrageous the power of the Pokémon. Only that this time it wasn't merely the power of a Pokémon and despite expecting it, seeing a human execute an attack like this...

The arrow seemed to be nothing special when the girl had fired it off. In fact compared to some of the stuff their Pokémon were throwing at the Zapdos, it appeared tiny and insignificant. _But a single arrow shot right where it should be can often be more effective than a barrage of attacks against a strong defense._ And that's what it had been right there. The tiny arrow of light had struck right at some unseen point and amazingly enough the Zapdos had almost immediately began to fall apart, dissolving from the inside out.

"She has a good grasp on that power already despite just acquiring it," the oldest member among us commented. Personally Mr. Steed was about the only one in this crazy group that I respected. Tall, well-built, with his military-style clothes everything about him screamed experience. And despite his age, the only thing even hinting about it was the slightly graying but otherwise natural white hair.

"Hmph, they were just cannon fodder anyway." This came from the tall and muscular man with short dark brown hair. "Besides, I don't like her type. All flashy and stuff." Clad in a brown and dark gray jacket, dark gray pants, brown boots, and fingerless brown gloves, all I really knew about him was that he was a recent recruit and had been a professional martial artist in the underground scene.

"At least we know now that the first test subject was a success and the Boss can improve on that," I interrupted their musings, pleased with the Rage Zapdos' performance despite its defeat. "I trust you were paying attention. Underestimating them will just ensure you'll end up the same. You got that? Eric? Klaus?" Eric just scowled and huffed, while Klaus merely waved off the reprimand.

Sighing, I once again wondered why I was stuck with such a crazy group. Well, you could hardly call it a group. Everyone had their individual skill that would make them best suited to deal with those annoying kids. I was somewhat worried about proper coordination though – should that be required – with so many different characters meshed together.

Speaking of which... I turned to the last two members of my special task force. The first was a rather buxom woman – to my extreme annoyance – with long violet hair and tanned skin. She was clad almost fully in a blue formfitting bodysuit with shoulders and some skin left and right exposed. The belt containing various tools hinted at her profession as a bounty hunter. "Is everything in place, Magenta?" I asked.

Magenta grinned and waved in the direction of our last member. He was wearing black ninja-style clothes and a hood was covering his head, hiding most of his face. "Don't cha worry, darling. Thanks to this guy everything's set to go."

"I see. Good work, Kagami." I did not expect a response, knowing he preferred to stay silent. Turning back to the scene below, I lifted my binoculars once more and saw the kids surrounding the blue-haired girl, excited and apparently in quite a good mood. We couldn't have that now, could we? "Well, I think they had enough time to celebrate, wouldn't you say?" Those kids might be strong but they were also quite soft. They had no concept about the kind of conflict they were about to get caught in.

Nodding to Magenta, the other woman took out a remote control and pressed a single button.

The first rumble went almost unnoticed. That was until the earth began to shake and suddenly the massive structure of the power plant started to sink as the isolated land stretch began to split open. The shock and confusion on the kids' faces was rather pleasant. I bet they had no idea what was happening. As much as it galled me to work with a bounty hunter like Magenta, she knew her tools and definitely was good with explosives.

Normally the isolation of this inlet was a good defensive factor and the foundation was quite strong. But the tunnel system running through the mountain range around this place had become quite complex over time, opening other ways to weaken this foundation. Some custom tunneling and well-placed explosives had been the first step. The ones hidden below the corners of the power plants thanks to Kagami's stealth while the kids had been busy did the rest, unsettling the terrain and causing the entire land stretch to slowly fall apart.

As the kids, workers and other League agents scurried around to get everyone to safety, I turned away. It would not be good for us to stay here any longer either. The others fell into step as more explosions now clearly echoed from below. Satisfied, I tapped the earpiece functioning as a communicator. "Mission accomplished."

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**(Narrator)**

"And so it seems that, after a relatively easy ceremony to awaken Dawn's powers and a battle that should have given everyone some much needed confidence, our heroes are not getting a break for long."

Shock and disbelief was written over the faces of the group as they moved away along with a swarm of Pokémon, carrying everyone to safety. Behind them the slow destruction of the inlet continued mercilessly and the once impressive structure of the much needed power plant began to unravel along with the land...

"Team Rocket has made yet another hard blow to the Kanto region, targeting its energy supply. One thing is clear though: From now on out, it will only become harder for our heroes."

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**Maia's Prophecy**

Maia: I see, I see, I see in the future... many dark things, many awful things, many painful things... And they shall happen... to YOU!

MysticMew: *nods*

Maia: VISIT OUR BLOG AND ARCHIVE PAGE! NOW!

MysticMew: *nods again*

Maia: I refuse to use my powers for all you lazy people!

MysticMew: *whispers* What powers? All she does is give a preview and the truth is we haven't planned out the next epi... *falls over smoking when hit by a flaming arrow*

Maia: I thought you were on my side!

MysticMew: *exhales a thick cloud of smoke* Please, do as she says...

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**Author's Notes**

We are getting back into the flow. As usual starting again after over a year is kind of tough but much like the previous arcs, once we start writing, it's quickly coming together.

Before I start, once again a thank you for my beta duo. One thing in particular deserves notice. The diadem as a Focus for Dawn was spawned on H-Man #89995's suggestion for a tiara. I had a slightly different idea in my head when I first agreed it was a good idea, that's why it became a diadem in the end, but credit goes to him since I was really stuck on Dawn's Focus item.

Some inspiration for the Ash/May scene also came from a discussion we had and a comment from H-Man #89995 about Ash's inactivity in arc 2, which I had to agree with. Furthermore I hoped the scene helped clear up the issue of Ash's feelings a little more, it had been a long time coming. This is by no means a resolution, they'll be struggling over most of the arc, step by step. ^_^

And lastly in regards to my primary beta once more... The reason why Pikachu's scene is so long is because of him. He outright rejected my initial scene in that segment. I attempted a do-over and well... let's just say _horrible_ things happen when you try to make Maia work on something outside of our current work flow (since we were deep into planning and writing episode 2 already at this point). The whole thing occupied us an entire day and that's the end result. It was not supposed to be that long... *sigh* At least we agreed on this attempt being better than the last.

Before anyone complains. The power plant – in my version at least – is mostly powered by a combination of water (it is situated isolated at a water inlet after all) and Pokémon use. There is no fear of radiation outbreak from its destruction, only the power shortage... Don't ask me for details on this, I am not an expert in this field, so if it looks a little... off, then please forgive my ignorance.

As for the descriptions I've given in this chapter, they are mostly for your benefit. I am terrible with character design appearance, so if you have any complaints keep that in mind. Dawn's Master Robe was inspired by Micaiah's outfit from Fire Emblem 10, if you need a reference, and it is rather possible the others might also be similar inspired by other media. Again, I may ask, if anyone wants to draw some art for the story, contact me. There is a request section on MMD, too.

Finally... A note in my own interest. It shouldn't be necessary but since I had to go over that with my betas as well, I'll at least mention it now. The last battle in this episode was more a showcasing than anything else and the Rockets here were "cannon fodder" (and not even half as well equipped as the forces invading Cerulean for example). Remember that, from now on, we have war and war is going to be ugly. Ash and co. will get powerful, yes, but there will be an equal countermeasure, either by circumstances or their opposition. I have no intention of overpowering characters but if I do, you can be assured that it is part of a bigger plotline. If it seems that the humans will overshadow their Pokémon partners a little, it is somewhat intended that way. So far the Pokémon had fought the battles almost exclusively, now their Trainers have to catch up, so that in the end they can stand on equal terms.

Just to give you a heads-up. I will probably write the next two or three episodes back to back before releasing them since I'm not so certain on how the (chronological) scene order will play out. My primary beta will also be without a word processor between the middle of December and January. In consequences the best you can probably expect are slightly higher quality alpha releases (Stone Tiger will hopefully still be there) **exclusive** to my archive page and blog. I'll continue writing, of course (barring a possible distraction with a Christmas story of some kind), so there might be just a bunch of it together later. I'll keep you updated on my blog.

And that's about it. Don't forget to leave your feedback and preferably (please) visit our blog and archive, telling us what you think about it.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias aka MysticMew


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